S. Mis. 53. 61 



the results of the observations of Drs. Evans and Shumard have been of 

 the greatest practical importance. Valuable and extensive deposits of 

 limestone, porcelain earth, tertiary coal, &c., were ascertained to exist. 



Geological Surrey of Lulic Superior. — In obedience to instructions 

 firom the Land Office, jNIessrs. Foster and Wliitncy revisited the scene 

 of their previous explorations on Lake Superior, with the view of 

 collecting the most recent information respecting the nu'ning region. 

 Th(^y will probably submit the result to Congress in the ibrm of a final 

 report upon the entire subject of the mineral hinds of this interesting 

 region. 



The final report of Dr. D. D. Oiuen on the Geology of Wisconsin, Iowa, 

 and Mmnesota, was published towards the end of the year 1852. This 

 constitutes the most elaborate work of the kind ever issued by govern- 

 ment, consisting of two (juarto volumes, with numerous illustrations on 

 wood and steel. The pakeontological portion is of much importance, 

 containing, in addition to the invertebrata described by Dr. Owen, a 

 p;iper by Dr. Joseph Lcidy on the fossil Jthinoccros, Pal(eotherium, 

 Arc/ueothcrium, Testudo, Sec, of the Mauvaises Torres. 



The second part of the Report of Messrs. Foster a7id Whitney on the 

 Geology of Lalie Superior also appeared during the past year. With 

 the able assistance of Professor James Hall, they have been enabled 

 to present some very important comparisons between the fossils and 

 Ibssiliferous rocks of Europe and America, besides describing many 

 new species. 



6. Navy Department. 



The year 1852 will ever V)e memorable in the annals of the Ameri- 

 can navy for the extent of the explorations either completed or com- 

 menced within its limhs. Under the liberal administration and en- 

 lightened policy of the Hon. J. P. Kennedy, Secretary of the Navy, 

 all the disposable force of the department has been brought to bear 

 upon the advancement of geographical knowledge. 



Astronomical Expiedition to Chili. — Lieut. Gilliss returned in Novem- 

 ber last from a three years' residence at Santiago, in Chili, to which 

 place he had gone f()r tlie purpose of observing the parallax of \'enus. 

 During the time of his absence he made more than forty thousand 

 observations on this planet, besides gathering a very large number of 

 f lets in regard to other departments of astronomy, magnetism, meteor- 

 ology, earthquakes, geography, &c. He also made very valuable 

 collections in natural history, especially in ornithology, in many re- 

 spects superior to those collected and pubhshed by Claude Gay, in his 

 History of Chili. 



Lieut. McKae, who, with Lieut. Phelps, had been the companion of 

 Lieut. Gilliss, was detached by him to carry a magnetical and meteor- 

 ological profile across the continent over the Andes. 'J'his route will 

 l)c, for the most part, through an unexplored region, and the result will 

 no doubt be of very great interest. 



Exploration of the Amazon. — Lieut. Herndon, U. S. N., returned in 

 the summer from his exploration, in connexion with Lieut. Gibbon, of 

 the Amazon and its tributaries. As the most feasible wa.y of pene- 

 trating this region, they crossed the Cordilleras, in Peru and Bolivia, 



