REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 51 



all the species observed were obtained, embracing, as did those of the 

 two explorations previously mentioned, several new species. 



Exploration of the Upper Missouri to the mouth of the Judith, in 

 1855, by Dr. F. V. Hay den. — Numerous collections made on this 

 occasion by Dr. Hayden were received during the year, and included 

 very many specimens of vertebrata, insects, and fossils of much the 

 same character as those referred to under head of Lieutenant War- 

 ren's expedition. It was on this occasion that Dr. Hayden made the 

 discovery on the Judith river of a peculiar formation which, by its 

 reptilian remains, would seem to represent the wealden of England, 

 as suggested by Dr. Leidy. 



Explorations of Dr. J. G. Cooper and Dr. George Suckley, United 

 States army, — The final collections of Dr. Cooper made in Washing- 

 ton Territory and California were received in 1856, and closed the, 

 important labors of this naturalist, commenced in 1853. These em- 

 braced all the departments of natural history, including many species 

 before unknown. This gentleman, as mentioned in a previous report^, 

 went out as surgeon and naturalist to Washington Territory with the 

 western division of Governor Stevens' Pacific railroad party, under 

 charge of Captain George B. McClellan ; and after the expiration of 

 his engagement remained in the country, chiefly at Vancouver and 

 Shoalwater bay, spending a short time, previous to his return to the 

 Atlantic coast, near San Francisco. 



Dr. Suckley, after returning on leave to the United States in 1855, 

 went back in November of that year to Washington Territory in com- 

 pany with a detachment of United States troops. Stationed most of 

 his time at Steilacoom, on Puget Sound, the scene of his former labors, 

 in fact, Dr. Suckley renewed many of his previous collections, and. 

 added considerably to his list of species; and sent to Washington 

 many boxes of specimens.* To these two gentlemen, in connexion 

 with J. K. Townsend, esq., we are indebted for a knowledge of the 

 entire natural history of the coast regions of northern Oregon and 

 Washington Territories such as is possessed by but few States — by 

 their labors the vertebrate animals being, not only well known, but 

 the geographical distribution of the species minutely ascertained, and 

 the fullest notices of the habits and peculiarities placed on record- 

 Indeed, it is a serious question whether the species of the Atlantic; 

 coast and its adjoining regions are as well known as those of the Pa- 

 cific slope, through the labors of Drs. Cooper, Suckley, Townsend, 

 Gambel, Heermann, Kennerly, Webb, Newberry, and J. F. Ham- 

 mond ; Lieutenant W. P. Trowbridge and his assistants, Messrs. 

 James Wayne, A. Cassidy, T. A. Szabo ; Major G. H. Thomas, 

 Lieutenant Dubarry, and Messrs. Nuttall, Bell, Bowman, Schott, 

 Ayres, Gibbons, Taylor, Gibbs, Grayson, Samuels, Hutton, and 

 others. 



From Dr. J. F. Hammond, United States army, many valuable 



* Among these were some skins of mountain goats, presented by Lieutenant Nugen, 

 United States army. 



