16 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



Eaton, of Yale College, for the determination of the species and their 

 relations to the flora of other portions of the United States, hut will finally 

 be sent to the Institution, to the care of which all specimens collected 

 by government expeditions are assigned. In the same connection it may 

 be mentioned that Dr. Hitz has continued his explorations on the upper 

 Missouri, and contributed specimens of fossils, skins of birds, eggs, &c. 



At the last session of Congress an appropriation was made for explor- 

 ations under the direction of the Land Office. This survey, the conduct 

 of which was consigned to Dr. F. Y. Hayden, extended over the Black 

 hills, Laramie plains, the headwaters of the Little antl Big Laramie 

 rivers to Bridger's pass. It also included a survey along the Pacific 

 railroad from Fort Saunders to Green river. The report of this survey 

 has been made to Joseph S. Wilson, esq., the Commissioner of the Land 

 Office, with whom all the specimens collected have been deposited. Dr. 

 Hayden, however, made an independent survey under the auspices of 

 the Institution, along the eastern base of the Bocky mountains to Den- 

 ver city, and southward to the Sangre de Christo pass, across the San 

 Luis Potosi park and the valley of the Bio Grande, and thence into New 

 Mexico, returning northward through the Poncho pass, across the Arkan- 

 sas into the South park, and through this into the mining regions of Col- 

 orado. Besides the geological notes which were made during this 

 expedition, a large number of specimens was collected ; and as no appro- 

 priation of Congress was made for the transportation of the latter, the 

 cost has been defrayed by the Institution. The specimens have been 

 received and are now awaiting their examination and final disposition. 

 Another exploration which will be mentioned under the head of 

 ethnology, was conducted by Dr. E. Palmer, in the Indian territory, 

 the collections from which were but little less important as illustrative 

 of natural history than of Indian life and ethnology. Dr. Palmer is now 

 in the Institution assorting the specimens and preparing his notes for 

 publication. 



Middle and Soutli America. — Colonel Grayson has been engaged in prose- 

 cuting his exploration in northwestern Mexico, and has furnished large 

 collections of its ornithology. To him more than to any other may justly 

 be ascribed, says Professor Baird, a knowledge of the species of birds of 

 that region. Under the joint auspices of the Smithsonian Institution and 

 the Kentucky University, at Lexington, Professor Sumichrast, a well- 

 known naturalist long resident in Mexico, has gone to the Isthmus of 

 Tehuan tepee to make observations and collections in natural history, 

 which will doubtless throw light upon the geographical distribution of spe- 

 cies. Two boxes of specimens have just been received as the first fruits of 

 this expedition. Dr. Sartorius has also continued his important contribu- 

 tions from Mirador. Explorations have been further prosecuted in Costa 

 Pica, a region which has been the subject of much attention on the part 

 of the Institution, and a valuable collection of specimens has been 

 received from Mr. M. Calleja, made by himself and Mr. J. Zeledon, as 



