S. Mis. 53. 65 



facts in rcfrnrd to tlie distrlijution oi" marine animals, visited iho island 

 of St. Thomas in December last ; whence, alter spending some time- 

 there, he proposes to proceed to the other islands of tl:c same group. 

 An appropriation has been made by the Inslitnlion to defray a portion 

 of his expenses.* 



Explorathm of Garden Key, Flor'tda. — A ^'ely thorough exploration 

 of Garden Kc}'', by Lieut. Wright, rc^sulted in the addition of many 

 new and rare species of marine animals. The collections thus made 

 were forwarded by him to the Smithsonian Institution, where they 

 arrived in perfect order during the past summer. 



9. Foreign States, Societies, and Individuals. 



During the past 3"ear several foreign savans of eminence have visited 

 this country for the purpose of commencing explorations or continuing 

 those previously begun. Sir Charles Lyell made his third visit to the 

 United States, and, as on previous occasions, endeavored to clear up 

 certain doulitful points in the geology of this country. Dr. Charles 

 Scherzer, of \'icnn;i, and Dr. Moritz Wagner, of Munich, were sent 

 out, under the patronage of the A.cademy of Sciences of Vienna, for the 

 purpose of instituting inquiries into the social and civil condition, the 

 physical geography, and the natural history of North America. In 

 pursuance of this object the\' have already visited the region of the 

 lakes and of the Mississippi, and are now in New Orleans, preparing 

 their reports upon what they have seen. It is their intention, some 

 time in 1853, to penetrate into South America, and to pass several 

 years in explorations in various unknown parts of the continent. 



Prince Paul, of Wurtemberg, wxU known as an enter})rising trav- 

 eller and naturalist, has, lor the present, completed his collections and 

 investigations in the United States, and is about starting for Chili, where 

 he proposes to continue his labors. His specimens have all been trrms- 

 mitted to Eurojie, where they will be elaborated as soon as possible. 



A valuable report has recentl}- been published in Germany upon the 

 cfetaceous f()rmation of Texas, and its included fossils. The author, 

 Dr. Ferdinand Rcemer, visited this country some years ago with special 

 reference to this geological formation, and has presented in the above 

 work, in an elaborate f()rm, what was given in less detail in a smaller 

 volume issued in 1S49. The determinations of Dr. Rammer are of 

 much interest, as constituting nearly all that is known of the geology of 

 Texas. 



Very important contriljutions to our knowledge of the Northwest 

 have been made by the reports of the voyage of H. B. M. ship the 

 Herald. This vessel, during several years' absence in the region of 

 Behring's straits, made nunjerous collections in natur;d history, the 

 accounts of which are now in course of publication. One of the parts 

 already issued consists of a minute account of the remarkable ice clifi's 

 of Kotzbuc's sound, and the remains of various species of the elephant, 

 ox, deer, musk-ox, &c., im1)edded therein. Another is occupied by 

 the botany of Western Esquimaux land. 



* As this Report is passing through the press, the Institution has beard, with deep regret, 

 of the death, at St. Thomas, of Professor Adams. 

 5 



