18 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



Lower California. — The earlier volumes of the report of the Institu- 

 tion contain allusions to the important work of Mr. John Xantus in the 

 exploration of lower California, resulting in the discovery of a peculiar 

 fauna at Cape Saint Lucas, represented by numerous undescribed spe- 

 cies of birds, reptiles, fishes, &c. In the lapse of time, the collections 

 made by Mr. Xantus have been greatly reduced, and it is considered 

 eminently desirable to renew them. 



Mr. L. Belding, of Stockton, Cal., undertook, largely ftt his own ex- 

 pense, to visit the region in question and explore it in the interest of 

 the Smithsonian Institution. This was done by him with very great 

 success, his work resulting in the recovery of most of the species ob- 

 tained by Mr. Xantus, with a number of additions. So promising, in- 

 deed, was the field, that the available time during the winter and early 

 spring of 1882 was not sufficient to comi^lete the work, and he therefore 

 returned again towards the end of 1882, and is now occupied in his 

 mission. As Mr. Belding is a -trained naturalist, especially in the 

 department of ornithology, much is expected from his researches. He 

 proposes to prepare, for publication by the Institution, a methodical 

 account of the vertebrate natural history of Lower California. 



Ueio Mexico and Arizona. — From New Mexico and Arizona the con- 

 tributions have, as usual, been chiefly in the line of ethnology, the 

 Ethnological Bureau having continued its work on a very large scale. 

 A special account will be found in another part of the report of the 

 work of this Bureau in the region referred to and elsewhere. It will 

 be, therefore, unnecessary to do more than mention the names of Maj. 

 J. W. Powell, Director of the Bureau, and Messrs. F. H. Cushing and 

 James Stevenson, in this connection. 



From Mr. H. II. Eusby some interesting collections of plants and 

 specimens from Silver City have been received. 



The United States Geological Survey has also collected very many 

 minerals, fossils, and rocks in these Territories, all of which are for 

 the present in charge of the Survey. 



Interior of the United States. — No very important explorations have 

 been made in the interior of the country, other than those mentioned, ex- 

 cepting the work of the Ethnological Bureau, which, as already stated, 

 will be found detailed elsewhere. 



Prof. D. S. Jordan, however, has prosecuted extensive inquiries into 

 the fishes of Texas, and Prof. Hay into those of the Southern States. 



Florida. — Florida has been the scene of great activity in explora- 

 tion. Mr. S. T. Walker has been engaged on the western coast of the 

 State, principally in collecting the archseological material; Mr. James 

 Bell, of Gainesville, has furnished large numbers of birds and living rep- 

 tiles; Dr. Henshall, collections of fishes; and Mr. Whitfield of reptiles. 



