APRIL 12, 1901.] 
subjects of economic value which demand 
immediate investigation and whose study 
is the duty of a survey. On the other 
hand, the Survey ought not to allow its at- 
tention to be directed to subjects of imme- . 
diate economic interest only, since, as we 
all know, the pure science of the present 
becomes the applied science of the future, 
and it is eminently the task of the Survey 
to work for the future as well as for the 
present. The Wisconsin Survey has en- 
deavored to fulfill both these requirements, 
so far as the means at its disposal would 
permit, and its efforts have been fully en- 
dorsed by the State. 
E. A. Brree. 
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN. 
TuE Natural History Survey of Minnesota 
is being carried on in pursuance of an act 
approved in 1872, and entitled “ An act to 
provide for a geological and natural history 
survey of the State and to entrust the same 
to the University of Minnesota.’’ In ac- 
cordance with this law the Board of Regents 
of the University at once appointed Pro- 
fessor N. H. Winchell geologist of the Sur- 
vey and placed the work under his super- 
vision. The funds for carrying on the work 
have been almost wholly derived from the 
sale of so-called ‘State salt lands’ set aside 
for the Survey. After about 20 years of 
good work by the geologist, the geological 
work has been ordered to be brought to a 
close and the natural history has been taken 
up, with the professors of botany and 
zoology in charge of the botany and zoology 
respectively. 
The law creating this Survey is so broad 
in its scope that so-called purely scientific 
investigations are as incumbent upon those 
in charge of the work as the so-called eco- 
nomical. Accordingly we do not at present 
divide this work into scientific and econom- 
ical problems, but try to do scientifically 
everything we undertake to do, whether it 
has an immediate practical bearing or not. 
SCLENCE. 
565 
Economical and practical questions are by 
no means neglected, and the plans at present 
being followed contemplate reports that 
will be of educational and scientific value, 
as well as a handy source of information to 
the citizens of the State. 
On the zoological side the vertebrates are 
at present receiving the most attention. So 
far as possible complete accounts of certain 
more or less typical species, and species 
that for one reason or another are of special 
interest and importance, are being prepared 
in connection with the more general reports. 
These individual biographies, as they might 
be called, are intended to serve as guides 
and reference texts in the schools of the 
State. The invertebrates are not being 
neglected, though with the exception of one 
or two groups they are not receiving special 
attention at present. Plankton work can 
not be said to have received any serious con- 
sideration, and probably will not as long as 
more promising and less ‘ killing’ fields are 
as plentiful as they are. 
In reply to questions and suggestions, it 
was stated that both the botanist and_z»- 
ologist made it a point to send their reports, 
not only to all the schools of the State, but 
so far as possible also to all the newspaper 
offices in the State. : 
An examination of Minnesota Plant Life, 
issued by the botanist of the survey, will 
convince the most skeptical that State re- 
ports can be issued in the best typograph- 
ical style. This matter, however, demands 
special attention and experience. 
In consequence of the close connection 
between the University and the Natural 
History Survey, the biological departments 
of the University have become the bureau 
of information on natural history questions 
for the entire State, and the professors of 
botany and zoology annually answer hun- 
dreds of letters—yes, in some years, thou- 
sands. 
The matter of cooperation between the 
