4G8 SCIENTIFIC RECORD FOR 1883. 



tucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Arkansas, Mis- 

 souri, Colorado, and Nevada. A special work of triangulation was done 

 in connecting the survey of the Atlantic coast with that of the great 

 Lakes. In addition the work of the Coast Survey proper has been 

 industriously carried on by surveys for mapping the exact coast line 

 and determining the depth of water in the various sounds, bays, and 

 harbors. The line of transcontinental levels has been pushed from 

 Mitchell, Ind., to Kansas City, Mo. Very many astronomical deter- 

 minations of latitude and longitude have also been completed, and 

 tidal observations have been carried on in numerous places along the 

 coast. For the details of the invaluable labors of this admirably con- 

 ducted branch of the public service, reference should be made to the 

 annual detailed report. 



The work of the Northern Transcontinental Survey, under the direc- 

 tion of Prof. R. Pumpelly, has unfortunately been suspended, owing to 

 the necessity of a retrenchment of expenses by the Northern Pacific 

 Railroad Company. During the year 1883 an approximate topograph- 

 ical survey was made of the country, roughly corresponding to the ter- 

 ritory lying between the 46th and 48th parallels of latitude, and the 

 110th and 112th meridians, and also of the Flathead Ba«iu in Western 

 Montana, as well as the country lying between the Snake River and the 

 .southern boundary of Washington Territory, while in the central part of 

 Washington Territory a survey has been made of nearly all the country 

 south of the 48th parallel and between the Cascades and the Columbia, 

 in all amounting to about 20,000 square miles. Besides this geograph- 

 ical work, careful geological sections were made of the Belt and Main 

 ranges in Montana, and much work was done on the geology of the 

 Cretaceous. 



The plans for the geographical work of the United States Geological 

 Survey for the season of 1883 contemplated the prosecution of work in 

 nearly all the areas under survey during the previous year, viz, in 

 Northern California, in Southern Montana, Northeastern Arizona and 

 Western New Mexico, and in the region of the Southern Appalachians. 

 In addition to these areas, work was commenced in the State of Massa- 

 chusetts; a detailed survey of the Yellowstone Park, and of the Elk 

 Mountains of Colorado was commenced; and, in connection with the 

 geological investigations of the ancientlake basins of Western Nevada, 

 considerable scattered topographic work was done. 



The work in Northern California was, as during the previous year, in 

 charge of Mr. Gilbert Thompson. His division, consisting of two par- 

 ties, took the field early in July, and was continuously occupied until 

 late in October. The work was greatly delayed by smoke and haze 

 which prevailed during the greater ptirt of the season, owing to im- 

 mense fires in the Cascade Mountains, so that the output of the season, 

 amounting to about 4,000 square miles, was not as great as it would 

 have been under more favorable circumstances. The area surveyed 



