Geographical Notes. 323 
ing parts of Eastern Nevada and Arizona, which was begun in 
1869 by Lieutenant Wheeler, Corps of Eng., has been in pro- 
gress during the past year. An outline of the results was printed 
in this volume, p. 262. 
(c) Raymond's Survey of the River Yukon, Alaska.—Capt. C. 
W. Raymond, Corps of Engineers, has made a reconnaissance 
of the river Yukon in Alaska, with especial reference to a 
determination of the exact position of Fort Yukon. 
is report, with a map of the river, has been separately 
printed by Congress. 
(d) King’s Survey of the 40th Parallel.—The survey of the 
Fortieth Parallel, to which frequent reference has been made in 
these pages, is still in progress. A succinct account of all the 
work begun by this survey from March 22, 1867, to Oct. 3, 1871, 
by Mr. King, is printed in the report. 
We cite the latter half of his Report on “ the methods of work, 
the character of the problems investigated, and what I consider 
the chief results.” 
“The foundation of our explorations has been a continuous 
d fro 
m mountain-top to mountain- 
upon stone monuments. 
geographically, and their distances computed from a base an 
check-base, and a system of astronomical stations. Within the 
these, working always inwardly, a thorough system of minor tri- 
angles has been measured with the gradienter, and the topog- 
variety of irruptive rocks has been, in almost all cases, accurately 
ons, such as the build of mount- 
ae the upheaval of chains, and the fo i 
Present climatic conditions of the Great Basin, as regards its iso- 
thermal lines, annual and monthly averages of temperature, rela- 
tive evaporation, and the outlines of storms and rainfall. 
n the department of botany a very large collection has been 
made, resulting in the discovery of somewhat over a hundred 
