PREFATORY TOTE. 



The administration of the survey, at its commencement, was placed 

 in the charge of the late lamented Dr. I. A. Lapham, who brought 

 to the work the fruits of a large experience, and the acquisitions of 

 years of industrious observation upon the geology and natural history 

 of the state. Under his able management, the survey continued the 

 first and the greater portion of the second year. Annual reports for 

 each of these years were duly submitted by him, but were not pub- 

 lished. He was succeeded as chfef geologist in February, 1875, by 

 Dr. O. "W". Wight, who held the position one year, and who presented 

 a report for that year, which was likewise not published. In Febru- 

 ary j 1876, the direction of the survey was placed in charge of the 

 writer. Subsequently, provision was made, by enactment of the legis- 

 lature, for the preparation and publication of the final report of the 

 survey, and the foregoing annual reports were placed " in the hands of 

 the chief geologist to be used in the preparation of his final report." 

 Under these circumstances, it has seemsd to me the part of justice to 

 publish, as nearly intact as possible, the reports prepared by my pre- 

 decessors. Certain portions of a report of progress, however, necessa- 

 rily relate to the administration of the survey, and to other matters 

 of transient interest which have little subsequent importance, and 

 would be inappropriate in a report of this character, and hence there 

 arose a necessity for the revision of these reports for this volume. 

 This, to me a very delicate duty, it was presumed would be esteemed 

 a favor by those most intimately concerned in their publication, and 

 it was freely proffered them. The revisal of the reports of Dr. Lap- 

 ham was very kindly undertaken by his son, Mr. S. G. Lapham, and 

 they appear as they left his hands, with a few trivial changes made at 

 his request. It should be considered by all, that these annual reports 

 made thus early in the history of the work, and merely intended to 

 ehow the progress and results of the survey, in accordance with legal 

 requirement, cannot do full justice to their distinguished author, but 

 it is hoped that they will indicate the work accomplished under his 

 administration, and if there be anything meritorious in the final 



