18 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



the Point Barrow Expedition of the Signal Service Bureau, under com- 

 mand of Lieutenant Ray, yet some interesting contributions have been 

 received. Captain Healy and officers of the revenue steamer Corwin 

 have supplied collections from Hotham Inlet and other points along 

 the coast, including numerous minerals, birds, fish, invertebrates, &c. 



The following summary of Captain Healy's work has been furnished 

 through the Secretary of the Treasury, Hon. Hugh McCulloch : 



"Captain Healy has, during the past season, visited with his com- 

 mand the new volcano on Bogoslov Island, of the Aleutian chain, in 

 longitude 168° W., which, after some years of quiet, recently became 

 active. He caused a survey of the island to be made by two of his 

 officers, who submitted a very interesting and valuable report, contain- 

 ing a detailed descrii)tion of the large accession to the island thrown 

 up by the recent volcanic action, and through the aid of another officer 

 of the vessel obtained some excellent photographs of the volcano in its 

 various aspects. Later in the season Captain Healy sent a boat expedi- 

 tion up the Kowak Eiver, which debouches through its delta into Ho-, 

 tham Inlet, Kotzebue Sound. Lieutenant Cantwell, who conducted this 

 expedition, ascended the Kowak Kiver a distance of 379 miles. He 

 submitted a report, showing a careful survey of the river for the dis- 

 tance named, and a very interesting discovery in a large deposit of 

 jade (nephrite) situated in a mountain (named in the native language 

 Ashoganok, meaning smooth stone,) lying a few miles north of the river. 

 Also a description of the flora and fauna of the river's banks, accom- 

 panied with specimens. Assistant Engineer McLenegan, who accom- 

 panied him, submitted also a valuable list of birds^f Northern Alaska 

 with descriptions and specimens. Lieutenant Cantwell made a fur- 

 ther detailed survey of Selaivrk Lake, tributary to the same iulef, ac- 

 companied with a well executed chart of the region. This expedition 

 brings back the report that the precious metals are found in large 

 quantities among the high mountains which form the water-shed for the 

 Kowak, Kuryukuk, and perhaps Colville Rivers." 



Lieut. George M. Stoney, U. S. N,, of the schooner " Ounalaska," M'ho 

 had visited Arctic America and explored Hotham Inlet and the rivers 

 entering into it, obtained an interesting series of rocks from the volcano 

 in Behring's Sea. The collections made by him have not, however, yet 

 come to hand. 



Both Captain Healy and Lieutenant Stoney have furnished specimens 

 of the crude jade, or jade-like material so much used by the natives of 

 Arctic America for ornaments and weapons. 



The Pacific Steam Whaling Company established during the year a 

 depot at Cape Lisburne, with Mr. D. Woolfe in command, for the pur- 

 pose of mining coal for the use of the whalers, and specimens of this 

 coal and of the associated fossils have been furnished by Mr. Woolfe. 

 Miscellaneous collections of the natural history of the region are ex- 

 pected from that gentleman during the year 1885. 



The North Pacific. — Reference was made in a previous report to the 

 very important work accomplished by Dr. L. Stejneger, under the direc- 

 tion of the Signal Office and the Smithsonian Institution, in Kamtschatka 

 and the adjacent group of the Commander Islands. Through the cour- 



