428 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. V., No. 120. 



similar publications. The accompanying atlas 

 sheets, more than forty in number, add much 

 to the value of the reports. 



The leading contributors are Prof. T. C. 

 Chamberlin, chief geologist, and Messrs. R. 

 D. Irving, Moses Strong, R. P. Whitfield, 

 Charles E. Wright, T. B. Brooks, E. T. Sweet, 

 L. C. Wooster, and F. H. King. In connection 

 with lithological determinations and reports, 

 stand the names of Irving, Wichmann, Pum- 



GENEBAIi 



Geological Map 



pelly, Van Hise, and Julien. Vol. i. also 

 embraces reports on selected topics in natural 

 history, notable among which is King's report 

 on the economic relations of our birds. 



A characteristic feature of the publications 

 is the relatively large amount of practical in- 

 formation brought within the reach of the intel- 

 ligent citizen who has little technical knowledge 

 of science. Indeed, the oft-repeated question 

 of which every geologist must be weary — 

 ' What is the object of the survey? ' — would 



hardly be asked by one familiar with the 

 results of the surve}- of Wisconsin. In vol. i. 

 appear several chapters of economic import, 

 the express purpose of which is to make easy 

 of comprehension the principles which are in- 

 volved in such every-day matters as the sink- 

 ing of artesian wells, the manufacture of 

 brick, tile, etc., the selection of building-stone, 

 the relations of soil to fertilizers, where and 

 how to search for ore-deposits, —questions 



concerning which 

 the opinion of the 

 geologist is of prac- 

 tical worth. 



Attention has 

 throughout been di- 

 rected to known 

 mineral resources 

 with a view to their 

 future development, 

 and particularly to 

 those formations 

 which, from their 

 relationship to pro- 

 ductive mineral- 

 bearing formations 

 elsewhere, or for 

 other reasons, were 

 thought, from an 

 economic point of 

 view, to merit care- 

 ful investigation. 

 The benefits, both 

 positive and nega- 

 tive, which have ac- 

 crued to the state 

 as the result of such 

 investigations, have 

 already been con- 

 siderable, and will 

 doubtless be still 

 greater in time to 

 come. Other natu- 

 ral resources have 

 not been neglected. 

 Attention has been 

 directed to various 

 building-stones of considerable merit ; and 

 some of them, in consequence, have already 

 found their way into the market. The subject 

 of artesian wells has received special study at 

 the hands of the chief geologist. It is doubt- 

 ful if the problem of subterranean water-supply 

 over a commensurate area of such diversity of 

 character is anywhere better understood. 



The surve} T has done more than assist in the 

 development of natural resources, and its work 

 is to be commended for other than economic 



