48 The American Geoloff/sf. Jannary, 18% 
cently it has undertaken a thorough Natural History Survey 
of the state, a task which, by reason of its numerous well 
scattered and thoroughl}^ competent observers, it is able to 
accomplish much more cheaply than any other organization. 
Let us hope that the coming legislature of this wealthy and 
intelligent State will recognize its opportunity. s. c. 
REVIEW OF RECENT GEOLOGICAL 
LITERATURE. 
Thirteenth Annunl. Report of the United tStntes (leoloriieat Surrei/, for the 
ymr 1891-'9..'. .\. \\ . Powell, Director. Parti, Report of the Director: 
pp. vii, 240. with two maps: 1892. Part II. Cieolojrv. accompanyinj? pa- 
pers: pp. X, 372, with plates iii-rvii, and 41 figures in I lie text; 1893. — 
Part 111. Irriiration: pp. xi, 48G, with phites oviii-cx, and fiornres 42-6.3 
ill the text; 1893. Each of the three parts of tliis rei)ort. which was 
published a few months a<iro, forms a separate vohime. and eacli lias its 
t)wn index. Wliile some delay is unavoidable in the issuance of these 
important reports, it certainly seems very desirable and jiracticable to 
diminish considerably the interval between tlie work and its publica- 
tion. It is very gratifying in this connection to note that only half a 
year inter\eiied between the times of distribution of liie tAvelfth and 
thirteenth annual re[)orts of this survey. 
In the first part Maj. Powell and the heads of the thirty-two divis- 
ions of the survey present their administrative rei)orts, brietl\- stating 
the areas of exploration, special subjects under investigation, and the 
progress of topographic and geologic mapping. During the fiscal year 
of this report, topographical surveys were being made in twenty-three 
states; and previously these surveys had been finished in Massachusetts, 
Rhode Island. Connecticut, New .Tersey, and the Appalachian moun- 
tain belt from Maryland to Alabama. The geological mapping up to the 
date of this report had included the western two-thirds of Massachu- 
setts; a large area from Baltimore south to Richmond; another in the 
Appalachian region of eastern Tennessee, northwestern (Jeorgia, and 
northeastern Aiabaniii: small tracts about Madison. Wis., in eastern 
Iowa, the northwest part of South Dakota, in Florida, about New Or- 
leans, in central Texas, and about Denver and Leadvillc in Colorado; 
larger areas in New Mexico, northern Arizona and southern Utah, the 
Yellowstone National Park, and a contiguous region reaching north and 
northwest in Montana; small districts in Washington and about Eureka 
and Virginia in Nevada; and a large region of the Sierra Nevada belt 
through the northern two-fifths of California. Final geologica ^surveys, 
of greater or less extent, had been completed in thirty-two states and 
