ON THE WASHBURN BIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF KANSAS. 577 



Gilbert, of Bloomington, Ind.; land-shells, Mr, Arthur F. Gray, of Danversport, 

 Mass.; fresh-water shells, Prof. R. Ellsworth Call, of Des Moines, la.; mosses, 

 Mr. Eugene Rau, of Bethlehem, Pa.; lichens, Mr. H. Wiley, of New Bedford, 

 Mass.; AlgcB, Mr. Francis WoUe, of Bethlehem, Pa ; Agaricini, Prof. C. H. Peck, 

 State Botanist of New York; lower Fungi, J. B. Ellis, of Newfield, N. J. 



A considerable number of volunteer resident collectors and correspondents 

 have already been secured in various parts of the State, and it is hoped that 

 many others may be added. The following points, as yet unprovided for by 

 resident observers, are particularly important stations ; and we shall be glad to 

 correspond with any one who can represent these localities for the survey, or 

 direct its attention to such as they think might be able to do so : (i) the Kansas 

 shore of the Missouri River ; (2) the Marias des Cygnes Valley, near the eastern 

 State line; valley of (3) Spring and (4) Arkansas River, near the southern State 

 line; {5) Medicine Lodge; (6) extreme southwestern Kansas; (7) Republican 

 Valley, near the west line of the State ; (8) Norton County ; (9) Blue River Val- 

 ley, near the northern State Line. 



Correspondence is invited from all interested in the subject of natural history 

 in Kansas. Communications and specimens relating to the survey should be 

 addressed to F. W. Cragin, Washburn College, Topeka, Kansas. 



Circulars are in course of preparation, giving directions as to the manner of 

 collection, preservation, and transmitting of specimens best calculated to sub- 

 serve the objects of the survey, and these circulars will be forwarded to any 

 address on application. 



Two reports on the progress of the survey — published in the Bulletin of the 

 Washburn College Laboratory of Natural History — have already been completed, 

 and the material for the third is largely in hand. 



The following sketch will give a fair idea of the general method of the work 

 and of results thus far attained and those still sought : 



To the list of Kansas mammals as given by Prof. M. V. B. Knox, some 

 years ago, the survey has been able to add a number of species, among the most 

 interesting of which, as considerably extending the known geographical distribu- 

 tion of the species, are the Mexican Badger, two specimens of wnich have been 

 found in central Kansas, and the Free-Tailed Bat, found in the northeastern part 

 of the State. Both are southern species and their occurrence in Kansas is a mat- 

 ter of some surprise. It has also added to the State Fauna the Georgian Bat, 

 and is able to record through the favor of Prof. Snow, the Little Shrew, Blarina 

 partula, from western Kansas. It would call attention also to the long lost 

 Black-footed Ferret, or Prairie Djg-Hunter, of western Kansas, whose rediscov- 

 i€ry was recorded a few years since by Dr. Coues, and would urge our collectors 

 and hunters to keep vigilant watch for it with a view to ascertaining its distribu- 

 tion and abundance in the State. Does the distribution of this ferret coincide 

 with that of the Prairie-Dog? The survey is also gathering statistics with a view 

 to determining the exact distribution of the Prairie-Dog in Kansas, and its rela- 

 tions to civilization and agriculture. Is the Prairie-Dog favorably or adversely 



