GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY OF THE TEREITOEIES. 209 



of climate, soil, humidity, &c., in tbat entire region are so different 

 from that of the Atlantic coast, that experiments in the latter section 

 have no applicability to the former. The one is oriental, the other occi- 

 dental, although reversed in position. 



As I have, in a former report, given a short account of the arable 

 areas of (Jtah, I have devoted a part of the i)resent to the consideration 

 oi' the physical features of tbe Salt Lake Basin, so far as these have 

 any bearing upon the agricultural resources of this very interesting 

 region. I have added a more minute account of that portion of North- 

 ern Utah over which the expedition passed the present season, and which 

 I visited in person. I have prefixed a general outline or review of the 

 geographical features of those portions of the Eocky Mountain regions 

 which have been visitetl by the exploring party under your charge 

 during the past three years. It would have been more systematic to 

 have placecf this at the end, but I i:>referred the other plan, as many 

 persons desire to know the conclusions reached without having to read 

 the details. 



You will find, accompanying this rep>ort, a continuation of my investi- 

 gations of the western Orthoi^tera. A number of new species — some 

 twenty-eight or thirty — were obtained, and have been described, among 

 them some of considerable interest, adding two genera hitherto un- 

 known to the insect fauna of the United States. 



I feel it to be a duty to report to you in a special manner the accom- 

 modations received from, the various stage-lines running from Bozeman 

 and Virginia City to Helena; thence to Deer Lodge; and thence to 

 Corinne. Over all these Professor Allen and myself were passed with- 

 out charge, a.nd treated with great respect and kindness by all the offi- 

 cers and employes. To the Central Pacific, Union Pacific, Denver Pa- 

 cific, and Kansas Pacific Railroads we are under many obligations for 

 l)asses for one or both of us over these roads ; and also to the officers 

 and emx^loyes for the manj^ acts of accommoclation extended to us, by 

 wdiich delay was prevented. I have appended a short rei)ort of some of 

 the valleys of E"evada, drawn \i\) by Mr. D. H. Harkey, of Eeno, pro- 

 cnred for me hj the kindness of Mr. Meecham and his partner, of Hum- 

 boldt, Nevada. It is to be hoped that by another year a more complete 

 account of this intermontane State will be obtained. I believe that Mr. 

 Harkej^ is now at work upon this subject, which will iDrobably be fur- 

 nished you when completed. 



I had expected a sliort account of the lands along the Union Pacific 

 Railroad in the western part of Nebraska, as there is much inquiry in 

 regard to these various sections. 



It is an interesting fact that those sections of the "West which have 

 been described in your reports have received, during the past year, the 

 greater portion of the emigration that crossed the plains. While this 

 has, no donbt, been owing to a number of causes, yet we are justified in 

 believing that your efforts and investigations have helped to bring about 

 this result, and that in this fact you have an evidence of the apprecia- 

 tion of your labors. 



I take pleasure in returning my thanks to all those persons who have 

 so kindly assisted me in my work, and though the names of but few 

 have been mentioned, I feel myself under equal obligations to those 

 whose names are not mentioned. 



I remain, yours, very respectfully, 



CYRUS THOMAS. 



Professor F. Y. Hayden. 



' 14 G s 



