6 



also in the silver mines of old Mexico. He went as a vol- 

 unteer, going as far as El Paso and back to Fort Davis 

 vs^ith ns, rendering valuable assistance. For the State col- 

 lection we obtained many valuable specimens of minerals, 

 fossils, etc. , and also a large collection of dried plants for 

 the botanical department, especially of western grasses* 



We had been told that a small party could not safely go 

 to El Paso on accoimt of hostile, thieving Indians, who 

 occasionally make raids into Texas from New Mexico and 

 the Indian Reservation in order to steal horses and some- 

 times other stock, and also kill people. However, a small 

 party of five or six men, well armed, can go over the route 

 traveled by us with perfect safety. It is often done by two 

 or three men. The El Paso stage has but one soldier as a 

 guard. Wagon trains drawn by mules or oxen, conveying 

 merchandise and supplies to the forts and people in the 

 valley of the Rio Grande are going out west and back 

 again, being almost constantly on the road. Small parties^ 

 for perfect safety, can join these. Roads of the route 

 good and comparatively level. 



GEOLOGY. 



The following are the subdivisions of geological time now 

 in general use in this cou,ntry : 



I. Archean time, including 



1. Azoic age. 



2. Eozoic age. 



II. Paleozoic time, which includes 



1. Age of Invertebrates or Silurian. 



2. Age of Fishes or Devonian. 



^- -^ge of Coal Plants or Carboniferous. 



III. Mesozoic Time. 

 The Age of Reptiles. 



IV. Cenozoic Tim,e. 

 Tertiary. 

 Quaternary. 



Our examinations during the past season have been of the- 



1. Azoic age. 



2. Eozoic age. 



In the Paleozoric Time of the Lower Silurian and Car- 

 boniferous. 



The Cretaceous of the Mesozoic; Time. Lastly the Ter- 

 tiary and Quaternary. 



