INTRODUCTION. 



The field work of the four great surveys whose publications are 

 catalogued and indexed herein was done between 1S67 and 1879, when 

 the United States Geological Survey was organized. The office work, 

 such as the preparation of maps and reports, continued until several 

 years later. 



As far as known to the writer, no complete list of the publications 

 of these surveys has been issued. The last edition of the catalogue of 

 the Hayden survey was published in 1879, and the last edition of the 

 catalogue of the Wheeler survey was issued in 1881. These cata- 

 logues are necessarily incomplete, as all the publications of these 

 surveys had not been issued at the time the catalogues were printed. 



The index is general in character, giving a bird's-eye view of the pub- 

 lications, and is not a compilation of details such as would be found in 

 the indexes to the individual reports. For instance, it has been found 

 impracticable to index generic and specific names in botany and zool- 

 ogy. The few specific or generic names appearing in the index are 

 portions of the titles of papers. However, in order to give a general 

 view of publications on zoology and botany, all entries referring to 

 these subjects are subordinated under the headings: "Vertebrates;" 

 "Vertebrates, fossil;" "Invertebrates;" "Invertebrates, fossil;" 

 "Plants;" and "Plants, fossil." Likewise, all entries I'elating to eth- 

 nologic and archseologic subjects are included in the group "Ethnology 

 and Archaeology." All geographic entries are classified under names 

 of States and Territories. 



The United States Geological Survey has no copies of these publi- 

 cations for distribution. 



For many suggestions at various stages of the work the writer is 

 indebted to Mr. P. C. Warman. 



L. F. S. 



