THE PROGRESS OP GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS IN THE 
STATE OP WISCONSIN—A REVIEW 
AND BIBLIOGRAPHY. 
BY WILLIAM P. BLAKE, NEW HAVEN, CT., AND SHULLSBURG, WIS. 
[abstract.] 
The memoir gives an historical account and review of the 
early settlement of the lead region, and of the surveys under¬ 
taken by the general government. One of the chief objects 
is to show the opinions held by Percival and his successors 
upon the subject of the origin of the lead and zinc ores, and 
the relation of the deposits of such ores to breaks in the strata, 
and a portion of this part of the paper is now presented. 
The poet and geologist, James G. Percival, after the comple¬ 
tion of his part of the work on the survey of the state of Con¬ 
necticut, was employed by the American Mining Company of 
New York to make examination and surveys of their mines in 
Wisconsin. He was so engaged during the year 1853, and the 
next year was appointed the geologist of the state, receiving 
his commission from Governor Wm. A. Barstow, on the 12th of 
August, 1854. 
His instructions were to examine the mineral district in the 
southwest counties of the state. His first report was printed 
in Madison in 1855.* In this he confines his descriptions 
chiefly to the result of his own observations, and the volume 
is characterized by the minute and careful attention to every 
detail, and accuracy of observation and description for which 
his work will ever be notable. The report is accompanied by 
one map delineating the extent of the lead region and the di- 
* Annual Report on the Geological Survey of the State of Wisconsin. 
By James G. Percival. Small 8vo. pp. 101 with Map. Madison, 1855. 
