53 [ 108 J 



and palaeontology will be presented by Proties^or Hall ; on the plants by 

 Dr. Torrey ; on the invertehrata by Professor S, S. Haldeman, and on the 

 vertebrates by Mr. Girard and myself. 



The survey of the Canadian fork of the Arkajisas, under Lieutenant 

 Woodruff and Captain Sitgreaves, was completed in the autumn of 1850, 

 the party returning to Washington in the winter. Dr. Woodhouse, the sur- 

 geon of the expedition, and a naturalist of great ability, made many inte- 

 resting collections; among them a new species of wolf, since characterized 

 under the name o{ Canis frustror. Shortly after their return, Captain 

 Sitgreaves and Dr. Woodhouse were again sent into the field to explore the 

 Zuni river in California. This region, entirely unknown to naturalists, Vv'ill 

 no doubt afford to Dr. Woodhouse a rich harvest. 



Department oj the Interior. — The most important scientific ex])loration 

 under the care of this department is connected with the survey of the 

 boundary between the United States and Mexico. The western part of 

 the survey across the peninsula of California was conducted by Major 

 Emory, of the corps of topographical engineers. Officially connected with 

 him, as surgeon and naturalist, was Dr. Parry, who made very extensive 

 collections of plants, now in the hands of Dr. Torrey, and including many 

 new species. Informally attached to Major Emory's party, for a consider- 

 able length of time, was Dr. John le Conte, the distinguished ento- 

 mologist, who spent eighteen months in California, and made extensive 

 zoological collections. The collections of Dr. Le Conte consist mainly of 

 Coleopterous insects, of which at least one thousand species are new to science. 

 All the other departments of zoology were, however, attended to, especially 

 of herpetology, of which he procured the largest collection ever made on 

 the Pacific coast. These are now in my hands for description. 



The eastern part of the line of the Mexican boundary survey luis also 

 been zealously explored. The naturalists accompanying Col. J. D. Graham, 

 chief of the scientific corps, Mr. J. H. Clark and Charles W^right, in their 

 journey from Indianola to El Paso, and thent;e to the copper mines of the 

 Gila, made very extensive collections, the former in zoology, the latter in 

 botany, affording an excellent idea of the natural history of this region 

 over a line of a thousand miles, and greatly exceeding in amount any ever 

 made there before. The naturalists immediately connected with the party 

 of Mr. Baitlett, the commissioner, (Messrs. Thurber and Bigelow, and 

 others,) have also been active, especially in the field of botany and mine- 

 ralogy, although but little beyond a small collection of plants has been sent 

 in. Major Emory, on being assigned to this survey last summer, took with 

 him Dr. Parry and Mr. Schott, both of whom will, no doubt, manifest afresh 

 their zeal for natural history. 



Land Office. — The explorations imder the direction of the land office 

 have mainly been in the departments of zoology and pakeontology, although 

 the others have not been neglected. Dr. D. D. Owen has completed the 

 geological survey of Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin, and his report is now 

 ready to be published. It includes many new and interesting fossils ; among 

 them several vertebrata from the Mauvaises Terres, and will constitute the 

 most elaborate government report of the kind ever presented. 



Messrs. Foster and Whitney have also completed their geological sur- 

 vey of Northern Michigan, and have the final results now in press. In 

 working up the palaeontology, they have had the able assistance of Pro- 

 fessor James Hall. The plates and cuts to the report are all finished, and 



