Miscellanies. ^ 393 



11. Report on the new map of Maryland, 1835. — The Geo- 

 logical survey of the State of Maryland has been undertaken in 

 connection with a Topographical survey of the same. The above 

 is the second report to the government of the State on this subject. 

 The first 34 pages are occupied by the report of the State engineer, 

 Mr. J. H. Alexander ; the remainder, about 50 pages, contain the 

 geological observations of Prof. Ducatel. The examinations are as 

 yet but partially completed : " twelve out of the nineteen counties 

 of the State have been visited, six have been thoroughly examined, 

 at least as far as the purposes of the survey require ; two are nearly 

 completed ; and in the four remaining, examinations that will tend 

 to facilitate ulterior researches have been commenced." In a re- 

 port made at this period of the work, we are not to expect those 

 general considerations on the relative situation of strata, their nature 

 and contents, which are of the most importance to science. It is 

 principally occupied with the economical geology of the country 

 examined. 



We look with some considerable interest for the conclusion of this 

 survey, and the final and general report. It embraces a considera- 

 ble portion of the tertiary formations, which abound in organic re- 

 mains, a perfect acquaintance with which will tend to a more com- 

 plete elucidation of the relation of American and European strata. 



Considering the rapid extension of that spirit for geological in- 

 vestigations which is manifesting itself throughout the country, we 

 may reasonably expect that hardly a score of yeprs will elapse be- 

 fore the whole of the United States will have been 3xa^„Tiined by 

 geologists. Already one survey has been corupik^ted, and the survey 

 of eight other states has been commenced or projected. Maine 

 has made her first appropriation of ^'5,000, New York is about 

 to devote ^26,000 annually for four years, and is engaged in im- 

 mediate preparations for the commencement of the survey. Dr. 

 J. G. Percival and Prof. C. U. Shepard have made their first re- 

 port on the Geology and Mineralogy of Connecticut, and a new 

 appropriation of ^2,000 has been made by the Legislature for the 

 present season. The survey of T^ew Jersey is soon to be underta- 

 ken. That of Maryland has already been alluded to. Prof. Ro- 

 gers, of Pennsylvania, has been appointed the geologist for Penn- 

 sylvania, and Prof. Rogers, of the University of Virginia, is already 

 engaged in that of Virginia. Finally, the survey of Tennessee un- 



VoL. XXX.— No. 2. 50 



