State of Indiana, 

 Department of Geology and Natural Beso^irees. 



Indianapolis, Ind,, January 21, 1898. 



Hon. James A. Mount, Governor of Indiana : 



Dear Sir — I have the honor to submit to you herewith the Twenty- 

 second Annual Eeport of the Department of Geology and Natural 

 Eesources. This report embraces, in part, the results of the work 

 accomplished by the different divisions of the Department during the 

 calendar year, 1897. A large proportion of the energies of the Depart- 

 ment were employed during that year in gathering data for a detailed 

 report on the coal area of the State, which is now in course of prepa- 

 ration, and which, it is hoped, will be completed within a year. The 

 present report includes papers of economic importance relating to the 

 petroleum, stone and clay resources of the State, the reports of the 

 chiefs of the divisions pertaining to Mines, Natural Gas and Illuminat- 

 ing Oils, together with an extended paper on the Birds of Indiana, 

 which is something that has long been needed for use in our public 

 schools. 



Very respectfully, 



W. S. BLATCHLEY, 



iitate Geologist. 



