REPORT ON THE DEPARTMENT OF FOSSIL PLANTS IN THE U. S. 

 NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1887, 



By Lester F. Ward, Honorary Curator. 



No very important accessions have been received. The additions 

 have been mostly single specimens sent in by the various correspond- 

 ents, either for scientific determination or as objects of interest, and 

 are comparatively unimportant. 



Prof. Leo Lesquereux, of Columbus, Ohio, has been engaged during 

 a part of the year in determining the collection of fossil leaves made by 

 Oapt. Ohas. Bendire, U. S. A., in the John Day Eiver region, Oregon. 

 Many new and interesting things have been reported by him from time 

 to time, but the work was not finished at the end of June, nor was it in 

 condition to admit of any systematic analysis. The specimens, with 

 accompanying illustrations, will be returned to the Museum as soon as 

 the work is completed. 



Mr. F. H. Knowlton has devoted much time during the year to the 

 investigation of the internal structure of fossil wood, a study which has 

 been much neglected in this country, but in which there is manifested a 

 great and constantly increasing activity in Europe. 



A room in the west south balcony, before used only as a store-room, 

 has been fitted up as a microscopical laboratory. A microscopical table, 

 specially designed for this work, has been supplied by the Museum 

 authorities, and a considerable number of microscopical appliances 

 have been purchased by the U. S. Geological Survey. These, together 

 with a good microscope, and other instruments which are the private 

 property of Mr. Knowlton, make a fairly good working laboratory. 



The special subject of investigation has been the wood and lignite of 

 the Potomac formation, from which considerable material had been 

 collected by the members of the U. S. Geological Survey and other par- 

 ties. Microscopical sections of these specimens have been prepared, 

 either by Mr. Knowlton or under his immediate direction, and carefully 

 studied. The results reached have been very satisfactory indeed, and 

 have helped to clear up several points that were before obscure. It 

 was proved that all the fossil wood and lignite of this formation was 

 coniferous, and includes types of structure that are very old. The ma- 

 H. Mis. 600, pt. 2 10 145 



