Geology and Natural History. 329 



Oregon; by Frank Hall Knowlton. 113 pp., xvii plates. — 

 The fossil flora of the John Day Basin comprises 150 forms, 

 distributed among 37 natural families and the anomalous group 

 of Phyllites. Of the 150 forms, 24 are not specifically named, 

 and 44 species and 1 variety are described as new. The pre- 

 viously known species number 81. These plants are from several 

 different horizons, the oldest being regarded as of Lower Eocene, 

 and the youngest of Upper Miocene age. It is concluded that 

 the conditions which prevailed in the John Day Basin area dur- 

 ing Tertiary times extended also into central Washington, north- 

 western Idaho, and western Oregon, and that the flora was dis- 

 tinctly a hard wood one containing many oaks, willows and 

 maples, as in much of the area east of the Mississippi River at 

 the present time. Many of the John Day species are closely 

 related to forms now living in the Eastern States. A rather 

 large-leaved Gingko appears to have been present in the upper- 

 most beds. Very few ferns are present. 



The writer does not attempt any special consideration of the 

 comparative climatic conditions in the great Tertiary lake basins 

 on the eastern flanks of the Rockies. They may in my opinion 

 have been somewhat or even markedly warmer than the western 

 slopes, especially in Eocene times, though not of course in the 

 later Tertiary. g. r. w. 



Division of Hydrology. — A Division of Hydrology has 

 recently been organized in the hydrographic branch of the 

 United States Geological Survey. The work of this division will 

 include the gathering and filing of well records of all kinds, the 

 study of artesian and other problems relating to underground 

 waters, and the investigation of the stratigraphy of the water- 

 bearing and associated rocks. In addition to the gathering of 

 statistics relating to the flow, cost, etc., of the wells, it is hoped 

 in the future to give especial attention to the geologic features 

 which govern or which are related in any way to the supply of 

 water. 



The division will be sub-divided into two sections, the first 

 embracing the Gulf and Mississippi River States and the States 

 to the east, and the second embracing the remaining States and 

 Territories. The charge of each section has been assigned to a 

 geologist, the western section to Mr. N. H. Darton, and the 

 eastern to Mr. M. L. Fuller. The office details are in charge of 

 Mr. Fuller. 



2. Report of the State Geologist of Vermont for 1901-1902 ; 

 by George H. Perkins, State Geologist. 191 pp., 62 plates. — 

 The first 30 pages of the report contains a brief account of .the 

 history of geological survey work in the State with reprints of 

 articles first published elsewhere on Zadock Thompson and 

 Augustus Wing, former state geologists. The body of the 

 report contains papers by the State Geologist on mining indus- 

 tries and on the Geology of Grand Isle ; by G. I. Finley on the 

 Granite Area of Barre ; by C. F. Richardson on the Terranes of 



