40 



V. Report on the Batrachians. 



As would be anticipated from the great aridity of the climate, the 

 Batrachians are very sparsely represented in the district traversed 

 by the Expedition. The Rana lialecina is by far the most common 

 species, but is yet comparatively scarce, and, with Bufo columbinensis, 

 forms the only representative of the class that can be regarded as 

 at all frequent. 



ANURA. 



1. Bufo columbiensis B. & G. 



Occasional, but far from common. 



2. Spea bombifrons Cope. 



A single specimen, collected by Mr. Bennet at Camp Thorne, was 

 the only one seen. 



3. Rana halecina Kalm. 



Rather frequent along the streams, and quite generally dispersed. 



URODELA. 



4. Amblystoma mavortium Baird. 



A specimen was obtained at Fort A. Lincoln, and it was once or 

 twice seen in the valley of the Yellowstone. This was the only rep- 

 resentative of the tailed batrachians seen. 



VI. Report on the Plants. 



For the identification of the species of the following list of plants 

 I am indebted to Dr. Geo. Vasey, Botanist of the Department of 

 Agriculture, to whom the collection was referred for determination. I 

 have added a few species from my notes that were not contained in 

 the collection, which are distinguished by the names being enclosed 

 in brackets. The collection was begun at Fort Rice, about June 12th, 

 and was continued throughout the journey, or till about September 

 15th. Many of the species collected were confined to the vicinity of 

 the large streams, as were nearly all the species of Ranunculacece 

 met with, while others were as exclusively inhabitants of the dryest 

 portions of the Plains. The difference between the flora of the 

 vicinity of Fort Rice and that of the divide between the Yellowstone 

 and Musselshell Rivers is very great. The general features of the 

 country through which we passed, and of its flora, have already been 



