Avueust 18, 1899. ] 
nual Report, and the Roseburg folio, Ore- 
gon, J.S. Diller), and in California from 
investigations by the professors of Berkeley 
and Stanford in the vicinity of San Fran- 
cisco, and of the San Luis Obispo district, 
comprising the vicinity of the town of that 
name. At present surveys are being prose- 
euted on the Klamath Mountains, where 
strata of early Paleozoic age are identified 
by fossils ; on a series of quadrangles which 
include San Francisco and a section across 
the Coast Range eastward to the San Joa- 
quin Valley ; and about San Luis Obispo. 
In the work of the Geological Survey 
outside of the Appalachian province, physi- 
ography has received scant attention. The 
development of the mountain ranges from 
the Great Plains to the Pacific is recorded 
in physiographic forms which are as sig- 
nificant as facts of stratigraphy and igneous 
eruptions, and which continue the record 
made in the rocks. The physiographic 
province bounded by these eastern and 
western limits and extending from the Isth- 
mus far into British Columbia presents 
problems which are as yet unconsidered. 
In order that they may be studied in all 
their breadth and comprehensiveness with- 
in the United States, Mr. Gilbert has been 
assigned to the investigation. The results 
may confidently be expected to afford an 
interesting group of criteria for the elucida- 
tion of mountain history, and to advance 
the solution of continental problems. 
Petrography and paleontology, two great 
aids to general geologic research, have each 
a special purpose of investigation intimately 
related to other sciences. The results 
achieved by the specialists who are members 
of the Geological Survey are proportionate 
to the opportunities, which are broad and 
numerous; but in this partial and general 
account of the work of the Survey it is not 
practicable to go into details concerning 
them. The 19th and 20th Annuals, how- 
ever, contain important contributions of 
SCIENCE. 
211 
general interest, namely: ‘The Cretaceous 
Formations of the Black Hills as indicated 
by Fossil Plants,’ by L. F. Ward ; ‘Status 
of the Mesozoic Floras of the United 
States,’ L. F. Ward; and ‘ The Flora of the 
Pottsville Series, David White. In the 
20th Annual Professor Pirsson’s contribu- 
tion to the petrography of the Little Belt 
Mountains, Montana, is an important paper. 
The Division of Mineral Resources pre- 
pares a statement of the quantity and value 
of the products from, the mines of the 
United States, and also special reports on 
new features of mining technology in re- 
lation to mineral industries. Many in- 
quiries which come to the Interior Depart- 
ment in regard to questions on mineral 
technology of every character find their 
way to this division for reply. There is 
opportunity for development of the scope of 
this work in response to the agitation 
among mining interests for representation 
in the executive branch of the National 
government. An amendment to the Sun- 
dry Civil Bill was introduced in the Senate 
at the last session of Congress authorizing 
the Director to establish a Division of Min- 
ing in the United States Geological Survey. 
While the establishment of a Division of 
Mining was not completed by the House of 
Representatives, the appropriation for the 
work was changed from $20,000 to $30,000 
and the Survey is enabled to inaugurate 
some of the features contemplated. For 
example, through cooperation with the 
geologic branch, there will be made a study 
of the conditions of occurrence of asphal- 
tum, a mineral of constantly increasing use- 
fulness, to secure a complete account of the 
various deposits in the United States. 
Corundum, a demand for which has become 
imperative in this country, will be examined 
in the same way. A comparison of tests as 
to the physical strength and chemical com- 
position of building stones of the country, 
published within the last month, illustrates 
