[120] 1^ 



vidiials, is of little value, and, unless collected by some public institution, 

 will soon be lost to the world. Surveys of this kind furnish the most ex- 

 act data for the determination of what may be called tlie mountain bases, 

 or general water sheds of the surface; and no portion of the world of tho 

 same extent has been so thoroughly traversed v/ith these explorations as 

 the United States. Connected with these, sketches should be made of 

 the principal mountain ranges, barometrical measurements of the higher 

 peaks, with geological sections of the strata through which the public 

 works are carried. For tb.e purpose of commencing this collection, we 

 have addressed letters to all persons within our knowledge who possess 

 information of this kind, requesting memoirs from tliem containing results 

 of their own measurements and observations. By this means we hope to 

 present a series of papers of the same character as that of Mr. Ellet, and 

 thus furnish materials for a more accurate physical map of North America, 

 as well as the means, in connexion with our operations in meteorology, 

 for a more exact study of our climate. 



During the past year Professor Guyot has made a barometrical explora- 

 tion of the mountain system of New Hampshire, and he purposes to de- 

 vote a portion of eacli year to investigations of this kind. 



Natural History. 



Our new possessions in Oregon, California,' and Mexico offer in- 

 teresting fields for scientific inquiry, particularly in the line of natural 

 history, and Dr. Gray, of Cambridge, and Dr. Engleman, of St. Louis, 

 aided by several scientific gentlemen, interested in this branch of science, 

 liave sent a number of collectors to derelop the resources of those regions, 

 particularly so far as the botany is concerned. 



Among these, Mr. Charles Wright has been engaged to make explora- 

 tions during the past year in New Mexico, at the expense of a subscription 

 by individuals and institutions. He has just returned laden v/ith a valu- 

 able collection of plants, seeds, &c., whicli ate to be divided among those 

 who defrayed the expense. In behalf of the Smithsonian Institution $150 

 was subscribed towards this enterprise, and for this we are entitled to a 

 full set of all the objects collected. These are to be submitted to Dr. 

 Gray, of Canjbridge, to be described in a memoir by him, and to be pub- 

 lished in the Smitlisonian Contributions. Mr. Wright is expected to start 

 .on another expedition early in the spring, for the purpose of making ex- 

 plorations in natural history in the regions around El Paso, and it will be 

 well for the SmJthsonian InstituUon to farther assist this laudable enter- 

 prise with another subscription of an. equal amount. 



We have also purchased, for the sum of ;[, 20, a set of the plants collected 

 by Mr. Fendler in the vicinity of Santa Fe, during the year 1847. This 

 adventurous explorer, under the direction of the gentlemen previously 

 mentioned, is now engaged in investigatirig the botany of the great valley 

 of the Salt Lake; and it is proposed further to assist him by the purchase 

 of a set of the collections he may obtain, i^j co-operating in this way with 

 individuals and institutions, we are enabled; at a small expense, materially 

 to advance the cause of science. 



