INTRODUCTORY LETTER. 19 



tlemen fully attests their zeal and industry in their respective departments. 

 To Dr. Rothroek, and his assistant, Professor Wolf, is due the credit of a 

 botanical collection hardly surpassed under similar circumstances in point 

 of number and variety of specimens, and to Mr. Henshaw that of a unique 

 and unprecedented collection of 1,200 bird skins. 



In 1874, the results of the zoological collectors were simply unexam- 

 pled, as a collection was secured excelling in value and magnitude that of 

 any similar expedition. A party, consisting of Dr. J. T. Rothroek, H. W. 

 Henshaw, and James M. Rutter, took the field early in May, and proceeded 

 to Santa F6, N. Mex., from which point their labors commenced. The 

 route of travel selected was through portions of Western New Mexico and 

 Arizona; the farthest southern point reached being old Camp Crittenden, 

 not far from the Mexican boundary line, returning through Eastern Arizona 

 and New Mexico to their point of departure in the latter part of December. 

 Being independent of the topographical parties, they were enabled to care- 

 fully study the fauna and flora of certain areas not previously investigated, 

 and in addition acquired valuable meteorological data. Another party left 

 Pueblo, Colo., in July, consisting of Prof. E. D. Cope, W. Gr. Shedd, and 

 R. J. Ainsworth, in charge of myself, and was organized for the especial 

 purpose of investigating beds of fossil vertebrates and invertebrates in New 

 Mexico and Colorado. As a detailed account of the routes of travel of the 

 different parties has already been given in your annual report for 1874, it is 

 unnecessary to repeat it here. In addition, the main or supply party had 

 the services of C. E. Aiken as collector, who was able to add very largely 

 to the stock of material gathered; and Dr. 0. Loew, with Lieutenant Price's 

 party, likewise furnished an important share. 



Besides the labors of the regular collectors, it is pleasing to note the 

 co-operation of many of the members of the different parties, who offered 

 every assistance in their power to swell the general aggregate of results, 

 among whom were Lieutenants Marshall, Hoxie, Russell, Whipple, and 

 Birnie; Dr. 0. Loew; and Messrs. Keasbey, Klett, Thompson, Gilbert, 

 Howell, and Brown. It is also mentioned with pleasure that, during the 

 entire time covered by the field operations of the survey, all the officers at 

 the different military posts visited, cheerfully rendered every assistance 



