I. PREFATORY NOTE. 



The Bulletins of the Geological and Natural History Survey 

 of Minnesota were established under an act of the state legis- 

 lature, approved March 8th, 1887, and entitled '' Anact to extend 

 the ivork of the geological and natural history survey of the 

 state:' 1. 



In this act it is provided that any important mineral discov- 

 eries or other scientific contributions to the geological and 

 natural history survey that the state geologist may deem neces- 

 sary for immediate publication shall not be suppressed until 

 the regular report of the Board of Regents, but shall be issued 

 from time to time under the direction of the said state geolo- 

 gist. This law establishing the Bulletins was draughted by 

 Professor N. H. Winchell, state geologist, and was passed in 

 accordance with his recommendations. Later, with the 

 appointment of a state zoologist and state botanist, the sub- 

 division of the work of the survey was authorized by the Board 

 of Regents, and in accordance with such action the series of 

 bulletins is opened to botanical and zoological papers which 

 are published under the direction of the respective ofi&cers of 

 the survey. It is the intention of the state botanist to publish 

 Bulletin No. in occasional parts until a volume is completed. 

 These parts will be paged continuously and issued in the form 

 of an octavo serial. It is hoped in this way that a regular and 

 speedy means of publishing important preliminary papers bear- 

 ing upon the botanical work of the survey may be provided. 



1. Pillsbury: A compilation of national and state laws relating to the Univer- 

 sity of Minnesota, pp. 88. Minneapolis. 1892. 



