PREFACE. IX 



In compiling from notes written by many persons under 

 the disadvantages of fatigues, hardships, and privations, it 

 is not easy, however it may be desirable, to avoid the use 

 of all objectionable terms; for these and other inaccuracies 

 which the work may contain, the compiler must plead in 

 excuse the difficulties to which he has previously alluded. 



The greater part of the appendix will be found to have 

 been prepared by Mr. Say. The loss which he experienc- 

 ed of the skins of many birds, quadrupeds, and fish, which 

 he had collected, has prevented him from describing seve- 

 ral new animals. It is believed that, if none of the shells 

 collected had been lost, the amount of new species des- 

 cribed would have been much greater. The plants preserv- 

 ed by Mr. Say, were placed in the hands of the Rev. Lewis 

 D. de Schweinitz, who kindly undertook to describe them; 

 the result of his valuable observations will be found in the 

 appendix. With a view to give an idea of the climate of 

 the country described, as well as to compare it with other 

 places whose climate has been ascertained by older obser- 

 vations, the interesting tables prepared by Dr. Joseph Lo- 

 vell, Surgeon General of the United States' Army, have 

 been introduced, with his general observations upon the 

 same. They are compiled from the records kept at the 

 various military posts. The climate of Philadelphia has 

 been established by the results of the observations made 

 by Mr. Reuben Haines, at his residence in Germantown, 

 six miles from Philadelphia; the great care which Mr. 

 Haines bestows upon his observations makes them a fit 

 term of comparison for all others. The introduction of 

 these tables has superseded the necessity of recording the 

 variations of temperature observed by our party; they 

 were noted principally by Mr. Seymour. 



It may be proper, however, to state, that, valuable as 



Vol. I. 1| 



