576 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE 



BIOLOGY. 



ON THE WASHBURN BIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF KANSAS. 



F. W. CRAGIN, SC. B. 



It is proposed to conduct, under the auspices of Washburn College, an in- 

 formal biological survey of Kansas. The work has already been in progress for 

 some months, and will probably require five, and perhaps ten, years for the ac- 

 complishment of its objects. 



While the more popular portions of our fauna and flora, and particularly 

 our birds, insects, and flowering-plants, have been studied by Profs. Snow, Pop- 

 enoe and Carruth, Col. Goss, and others, no attempt has hitherto been made at 

 a systematic survey of the entire field of Kansas botany and zoology. The work 

 now proposed, while placing our State in a position wher.e, as regards our knowl- 

 edge of its natural history (geology excepted), it will compare well with its older 

 sisters in the East, will present to science the facies of a typical prairie fauua 

 and flora, will serve to define more clearly the relations of the Eastern, Central, 

 Sonoran and Austroriparian faunal regions, and cannot fail to throw other impor- 

 tant light upon the subject of bio-geography and variation. 



We have said "geology excepted" because, while there are few States of 

 whose geology, whether considered in its scientific or in its economic aspect, so 

 little is known as of that of Kansas, it is neither part nor possibility of the pres- 

 ent undertaking to include a State geological survey. Such a survey is impera- 

 tively needed, but is of too great magnitude for private enterprise, and its execu- 

 tion must be left to the State. 



The object of the proposed survey is simply to investigate the fauna and 

 flora of a State which, together with Indian Territory, holds the key to a more 

 definite knowledge of the inter-relationship of four great faunal regions. It is 

 believed that this object will commend itself to all intelligent and public-spirited 

 citizens of the State; and the cooperation of such is invited in the coUection 

 and donation of specimens of mammals, reptiles, fishes, shells, insects, crusta- 

 ceans, flowering plants, ferns, mosses, lichens. Fungi, Alg(z, or, in short, of what- 

 ever lines of material can locally be collected to best advantage. 



The progress of the survey will be recorded in the form of partial reports, or 

 contributions and notes, which will come from specialists to whom the material 

 brought together by the survey will be submitted. 



Some of the departments are still unprovided for ; but the names of the fol- 

 lowing eminent specialists, whose services have been secured, are a sufficient 

 guarantee for the value of the proposed work : For the fishes, Prof. Chas. H. 



