4 FiRST REPORT 
botanical and the zodlogical work of the survey under the 
charge of, respectively, the professor of botany as State Botanist 
and curator of the botanical museum, and the professor of 
animal biology as State Zoblogist and curator of the zodlogical 
museum. 
The present State Zodlogist was appointed by the Board of 
Regents about three years ago. Nothing was done during the 
first two years, other University duties taking me abroad one 
year, and sickness making work impossible the other. Last 
summer (1891) a party of three spent not quite four weeks on 
Lake Vermilion, as much as the funds remaining after purchas- 
ing apparatus and chemicals would permit. The exceedingly 
bad and disagreeable weather reduced this time to about two 
weeks. Nevertheless, some valuable data and experience were 
gained that are of value for the future. 
It has been asurprise to me that so few of our ‘‘posted”’ citi- 
zens know anything about the existence of a law creating The 
Geological and Natural History Survey, and to dispel a little of 
this ignorance where it ought not to be, I quote here the sec- 
tions relating to the Natural History division of the Survey. 
‘‘Section 1. It shall be the duty of the board of regents of 
The University of Minnesota to cause to be begun as soon as > 
may be practicable, and to carry on a thorough geological and 
natural history survey of the state. 
Section 3. The natural history survey shall include, first, an 
examination of the vegetable productions of the state, embra- 
cing all trees, shrubs, herbs and grasses, native or naturalized 
in the state; second, a complete and scientific account of the 
animal kingdom as properly represented in the state, including 
all mammalia, fishes. reptiles, birds and insects. 
Section 6. It shall be the duty of said board of regents to 
cause proper specimens, skillfully prepared, secured and la- 
beled, of all rocks, soils, ores, coals, fossils, cements, building 
stones, plants, woods, skins and skeletons of animals, birds, 
insects and fishes, and other mineral, vegetable and animal 
substances and organisms discovered or examined in the course 
of said surveys, to be preserved for public inspection, free of 
cost, in the University of Minnesota, in rooms convenient of 
access and properly warmed, lighted, ventilated and furnished 
and in charge of a proper scientific curator; and they shall 
also, whenever the same may be practicable, cause duplicates in 
reasonable numbers and quantities of the above named speci- 
mens, to be collected and preserved for the purpose of ex- 
changes with other state universities and scientific institu- 
tions, of which latter the Smithsonian Institution at Washing- 
ton shall have the preference.” 
