410 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1904. 



Holmes classified the formations met with as post-Pliocene, Miocene 

 and Eocene, the post-Pliocene, where observed, resting directly upon 

 the Eocene. This he would account for on the supposition that during 



the deposition of the 

 post-Pliocene the Mio- 

 cene areas were above 

 water, or had been de- 

 nuded of their post- 

 Pliocene covering- pre- 

 vious to the deposition 

 of the alluvial or dilu- 

 vial sands and clays. 



In 1849 Capt. Howard 

 Stansbury, of the corps 

 of topographical engi- 

 neers, acting under au- 

 thority of the War De- 

 partment, explored the 

 valley of Great Salt 

 Lake. The expedition 

 left Fort Leavenworth 

 May 31, 1849, taking a 

 north- 



Captain Stansbury's 

 Explorations in Utah, west di- 

 rection 



and striking the Platte 

 at Fort Kearney, pro- 

 ceeding thence along 

 this and the North Fork 

 to the Sweetwater, and 

 thence across South 

 Pass to Fort Bridger 

 and Salt Lake City. 

 The return trip was 

 made by a more south- 

 erly route , through 

 Bridger Pass, striking 

 the old route again at 

 Fort Laramie, and 

 thence back to Fort 

 Leavenworth, the latter 



point being reached the 6th of November, 1850. 



No geologist accompanied this expedition, and a small series of rocks 



and fossils which were collected were reported upon by James Hall. 



Forms belonging to the Cretaceous. Carboniferous, and Silurian or 



Devonian ages were identified. 



