REPORT OF C. A. WHITE, M. D. 



LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 



TJnited States Geological and Geographical 



Survey of the Territories, 

 WasMnoton, D. C, October 1, 1878. 



Sir: I have the honor to transmit lierewith the report of my paleonto- 

 geological labors in the field for the season of 1877, together with other 

 relevant matter illustrative of their results. The field-work assigned to 

 me consisted of a series of special geological investigations, in which 

 paleontological research should constitute a prominent feature. The 

 regions or districts in which, in pursuance of this plan, I have prosecuted 

 my investigations, have from time to time been more or less fully rej^orted 

 upon as to the stratigTaphical geology, by various field geologists, but 

 still the necessity existed of correlating the formations as found in those 

 districts respectively, and upon both sides of the principal mountain 

 ranges, by a careful collection and investigation of their fossils. While 

 it was understood to be essential that all the formations which were trav- 

 ersed in my joiu'ueyings should receive careful study, it was thought 

 especially desirable to investigate those strata on both sides of the 

 Rocky Moimtains, wMch lie between the Fox Hills Grouj) of the Creta- 

 ceous series below and the Tertiary strata of exclusively fresh-w^ater 

 origin above. These strata^ are here designated as the great Laramie 

 Grouj), and include those which have been designated, in the former pub- 

 lications of the Survey, as the Lignitic Group, east of the Rocky IMoun- 

 tains and in MidiUe Park, Colorado ; the Bitter Creek series and their 

 equivalents west of those mountains, esiiecially in the great Green River 

 basin ; the so-called estuary beds of Bear River Valley, in Southwestern 

 Wyoming and adjacent i)arts of Utah, and also the Judith River and 

 Fort Union beds of the Upper Missouri region. 



My report, having in part a narrative form, will supply all the desirable 

 details of travel and field-labor, but the following statement of the gen- 

 eral course of my travel during the season will aid in forming an idea of 

 the geographical scope of my labors : 



Outfitting at Cheyenne, AVyo., I journeyed southward, traversing in 

 various directions a portion of the great plain that lies immediately ad- 

 jacent to the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains. The most easterly 

 point thus reached was some 60 miles east of the base of the mountains, 

 and the most southerly i)oint about 25 miles south of Denver, Colo. Re- 

 turning to Denver for outfit-supplies I crossed the Rocky Mountains by 

 way of Boulder Pass ; thence tlirough Middle Park and across the Park 

 Range to the headwaters of Yampa River ; thence down that river to a 

 point about 20 miles west of the western base of the Park Range of 

 mountains; thence southeastward to the White River Lidian Agency; 

 thence down White River valley about 100 miles ; thence northwestward 

 to the point where Green River makes its exit from the canons of the 

 Uinta Mountains. Crossing Green River nt that i)oint, I continued my 

 journey westward, near the southern base of the Uinta Mountains, cross- 



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