90 



Innd. and in the following year a synopsis of the same group by the same 

 author. In IS'JU there was published a report on the Mammals, by 

 Professor C. L. Herrick. This report can not, however, be considered 

 anything but preliminary, since it was Avritten before any great amomit 

 of investigation had been done and it will, no doubt, lie superseded later 

 l)y an enlarged and up-to-date report. In 1802 there appeared a pre- 

 liminary report on the Birds. l)y Dr. P. L. Hatch: in 18^)5, a report on the 

 Copepoda. Cladocera and Ostracoda. by Prof. C. L. Herrick. which is prob- 

 ably final; and in 1897 a preliminary report on the Fishes, by the writer. 

 The first three reports mentioned were issued under the direction of Prof. 

 X. H. Winchell. State Geologist, but the others have been published under 

 the direction of Prof. H. F. Nachtrieb, State Zoiilogist. who for the past 

 eleven years has had entire charge of the work of the survey. Every sum- 

 mer for ten years parties have been at work in the various portions of the 

 State collecting material and data for the tinal reports. During the past 

 three seasons the work has lieen especially aclivo. In May, 1899, a house- 

 boat, christened the Megalops, was built and launched at Maukato, on 

 the ^Minnesota River, and very successfully floated to Red Wing, on the 

 ;Mississipi>i. Itefore the close of the season. A desci'iption of the Megalops 

 and an nc(« mnr of the first season's trip appears in the Proceedings of the 

 Indiana Academy of Science for 1899. In the summer of 1900. In early 

 June, the Megalops was restocked and started from Red Wing on its 

 second season's journey, down ihe Mississippi. Consideral)le time was 

 spent on Lake Pepin, as the conditions and fauna there varied greatl.y 

 from tiiat of the ^lississippi River proper. Tlu' territory along the Missis- 

 sipisi was (luite carefully explored and material collected as far as Browns- 

 ville. Minn., which is within a few miles of the southern boundary of the 

 State. Attention was given primarily to the fishes. Imt miich other material 

 was also collected, especially insects, batrachians and reptiles. Near the 

 close of August the Megalops was again anchored for tlie winter, this 

 time at Brownsville. 



Early last spring Prof. Naclitrieb purchased for the survey a gaso- 

 line launch, and Avith it towed the ^legalops back to the head of Lake 

 Pepin, wliere it was beached and served as a station diiring the sum- 

 mer. This region is especially rich on account of the variety of condi- 

 tions. On the one hand there is Lake Pepin, which is about two miles 

 wide and nearly forty miles long. In many places it has fine sandy and 

 gravelly shores and in others there are marshes. It is hemmed in by 



