THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF SOUTH DAKOTA 



REPORT OF THE STATE GEOLOGIST 



ELLWOOD CHAPPELL PERISHO, 

 University of South Dakota, Vermillion, 1914. 



The work of the State Survey is of vital interest to the people 

 of South Dakota. This interest is both educational and economic. 

 Few fields of endeavor furnish such returns to the people for so 

 small an expenditure of money. 



The Survey has been active the last two years along the 

 following lines of work : 



I. General Information. A large number of inquiries from 

 the citizens of the state concerning mineral specimens, clays, soils, 

 climatic conditions, artesian and common \vells, plants, birds, coal, 

 oil, etc., are being constantly received and answered. All this is 

 without charge and hence must be a saving of no small amount to 

 our citizens. All the people of the state are urged to make use 

 of the Survey by sending in specimens of minerals, clays, birds, 

 plants, and mammals for indemnification or other information 

 desired. 



II. The State Museum: For years the State Geologist has 

 been anxious to see the collections made by the Survey put into 

 a more permanent and accessible form. The importance of having 

 a State Museum in which the type forms of life, especially those 

 found in our state, are properly classified, labelled, mounted, and 

 systematically arranged, is so self-evident that it needs no argu- 

 ment. Such a collection of the representative forms of life would 

 prove to be of great value as an educational factor. There is 

 certainly no one in the state who would not only endorse this 

 idea but be glad to aid in its accomplishment. The Survey was 

 exceptionally fortunate in securing the services of William H. 

 Over who has devoted much time the past year in assisting the 

 Department of Geology of the University and the Survey in col- 

 lecting, classifying and arranging specimens for the Museum. 

 Aside from three or four months in the summer occupied in the 

 field, his whole time was devoted to museum and laboratory work. 



