John Strong Newberry. — Stevenson. 3 
experience, which was the source <>i' much amusement to him 
in later years. 
Though practicing his profession faithfully, Dr. Newberry 
found time to continue his study of science: for in 1851 he 
published four papers, two of which dealt with problems of 
no mean order. In 1853 he published four papers in the 
Annals of Science, discussing the Carboniferous plant- of 
Ohio. Unfortunately, few descriptions accompanied the names 
given to new species, bo that fellow students were unable to 
determine them; and many of the names given in the li-t- 
became synonyms for species named and described at a later 
date. Even at that time his enthusiasm proved to be as con- 
tagious as it was in later years. F. V. Hayden was studying 
medicine under him; but soon becameso thoroughly a student 
in geology that the study of medicine was continued only 
that he might have opportunity to do geological work in the 
far west: there being no other way than that of securing an 
appointment as surgeon to some exploring party. 
The agitation for a railroad to the Pacific coast crystallized 
in the early fifties, and Congress ordered the dispatch of expe- 
ditions by the war department to make reconnaissance of sev- 
eral lines. Dr. Newberry was chosen as surgeon and naturalist 
to Lieut. Williamson's party, working in California and Ore- 
gon during 1855. The multiplicity of duties laid upon him 
left little opportunity for detailed geological work, but the 
sixty-eight pages devoted to geology in his report showed the 
keenness and quickness of observation which always charac- 
terized him. His botanical report of ninety-four pages is no 
mere catalogue of species, but the great body of the report 
consists of note-; upon the forest trees of the Pacifi< ast, 
making it one of the most interesting as well as one of the 
most useful of all the botanical publications issued from our 
government offices. The note- upon the mammals in the zo- 
ological portion of the report are marked by the same keen- 
ness of observation and are expressed in a singularly informal 
Style which renders them very attractive to the general reader. 
This report bears dat<- of 1S57. During its preparation the 
author was in Washington laboring at the Smithsonian Insti- 
tution and acting a- professor of geology at the Columbian 
University. 
