Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



MISCELLANEOUS SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. 



1. The California Geological and Natural History Survey.— Good 

 pro£rress has been made in this important work, daring the year and a 

 half in which it has been in progress. We have received copies of a " Let- 

 ter of the State Geologist relative to the progress of the State Geological 

 Survey," addressed by Prof. Whitney, to the Governor of California, and 

 dated December, 1861. This gives the organization of the Survey and 

 and outline of the ground gone over in the first year's explorations, show- 

 ing great industry, the area already explored being equal to at least one 

 half the area of the State of New York. Forty-seven maps have been 

 commenced on a scale of half an inch to a mile. The map of the region 

 about San Francisco Bay comprising but a little corner of California 

 (almost exactly the area however of the State of Connecticut) is nearly 

 completed. The Topography of the State being so imperfectly known, a 

 large amount of labor and expense falls on the Geological Survey in pro- 

 viding the Geographical elements essential to even a tolerably exact loca- 

 tion of geological facts Barometrical observations have been constantly 

 tept up, and the data obtained for the determination of the elevation of 

 about one hundred and fifty important points. Among others the Teak 

 of Shasta about which such contradictory reports exist will be this sum- 

 mer the object of special barometrical examinations. Large co lections 

 of facts and specimens have been made in General Geology, Paleontol- 

 ogy, Economical Geology, Botany, Agricultural Geology and Zoology. 

 The preliminary Report! of the first and second year's ^ork will be pub- 

 lished in one volume, which may be expected by March 1863. The aw^ 

 requires the Reports of the State Geologist to be sold for the benefit of 

 the School Fund, which requirement prevents our using important geolog- 

 ical information derived from the labors of the Survey, in advance of ite 

 publication. The appropriation made for the continuance of the Survey 

 f the current year has been cut down to $15,000, one half tte«um asked 

 ^or by the Geologist-in-Chief (viz: $30,000), owing to the distur^d 

 '^ ;"'lition of the public finances and the sad disaster by the fl«;f <>y^t 

 -- ••• which made wreck of a large part of tll^t^''^^^^P;l^'iyJ^,t 

 It is satisfactory to know that the floods have "^^ been however 

 nixed evil, but that by their agency there is every r^^f^^^J^ 

 y increased gold product this year. California is a ^^st region to 

 r,. its area being twenty times that of Massachusetts, and equal to 

 ;- united area of Great Britain, Ireland.Belgmm, Hanover and Bav an J 

 Ti^^^ work is laborious not more from the extent of surface, tha« fr^m^*^ 

 J;eat,dust, chaparral and want of roads. It ^^'f^^'^l'^l.tj^l 

 Geological conclusions already reached, fixing the true age of the aurif 

 ^rousand other metallic deposits, and of t^e Coal, are of the g^e^^^^^^^^ 

 "nportance. The work for 1862 has been reduced J"^. FoP^^t on t^^^^^^ 

 f finished appropriation-the finances of the State ^«^°g ^^.f^^^^/j 

 ^prevent even the prompt payment of the money ^PP;«P"f ^^j ^^^^ 

 ^iUiey has wisely ^once^ntryed his ----|fr^^^^^^^ 

 <ietermined to make the reconnaissance as coropieie ds pu=a 

 publication of the first volume of the report. 



^5- I.W. Triy^or^^.^r. J-iah^Lyman o^L^^^^^^^^ 

 '^^^iing-'lTonS fn a happy combination of the protractor, straight 



