Abstract
A LATE number of the College Courant, of New Haven, Haven, contains a detailed account of the exploring expedition under Prof. Marsh, which occupied the greater part of the warm season of 1871, and of which we have already furnished occasional notices to our readers. The general plan, as already stated, embraced excursions from several points, exploring as many different fields, with special reference to the examination of regions comparatively little known. The first starting-point of operations was Fort Wallace, and from this post the cretaceous deposits of South-Western Kansas and the region of the Smoky River were investigated. The second proceeded from Fort Bridger in Western Wyoming, to examine the ancient tertiary lake basin previously discovered by Prof. Marsh. Salt Lake City was the initial point of the third exploration, and the party proceeded thence to the Shoshone Falls, on Snake River, and from there to Boisé City, in Idaho; thence they pabsed over the Blue Mountains to the head waters of the John Day River, and followed down to Cañon City. On the route they made extensive collections of fossil fishes. They also explored two basins, one of the pliocene and the other of themiocene age, and in these remains of extinct animals were found in large numbers; the upper bed containing the bones of the elephant, rhinoceros, lion, &c., with several species of the fossil horse; the lower and older basin was found to contain species of the rhinoceros, oreo-don, turtles, &c. From this point the party proceeded to the Columbia, and thence to Portland, Oregon, where they took a steamer to San Francisco. Here the expedition divided, a portion going to the Yosemite and elsewhere, while several, with Prof. Marsh, sailed, viâ Panama, for New York, reaching that city on the 14th of January. We understand that the expedition was thoroughly successful in every respect, securing the collection of large numbers of fossils, as also numerous skeletons of recent animals, together with valuable antiquities, &c. The expense of the exploration amounted to nearly 15,000 dols., exclusive of the value of the services rendered by the Government. This was defrayed entirely by the gentlemen composing the party; l and it is understood that the material results are to be placed in the Museum of Yale College, which will thereby be rendered the richest in America in this department of natural history.—According to Dr. Petermann, the peak of Itatiaiossu, the highest mountain in Brazil, was ascended during the past summer and its altitude determined by Mr. Glaziou, the Director of the Imperial Parks in Rio de Janeiro. It proved to have an elevation of 8,899 English feet, being somewhat less than had been previously estimated. Many species of plants were found on the mountain, and what is of great interest, a large number of Alpine species, especially of Compositæ, were collected at from three to seven hundred metres below the summit.—The report of progress for 1870 of the Geological Survey of Ohio, under the direction of Prof. J. S. Newberry, has just been published at Columbus, forming a volume of nearly 600 pages, with a number of accompanying maps and sections. The volume contains, besides a report of progress of 1870, a sketch of the structure of the lower coal measures in North Western Ohio, by Prof. Newberry; the report of labours in the second geological district, by Prof. E. B. Andrews, and on the geology of Highland County, by Prof. Orton; the report of the Agricultural Survey of the State, by Mr. J. H. Klippart; a report of the chemical department, by Prof. Wormley; sketches of the geology of several counties, by Messrs. M. C. Read and E. Gilbert; a sketch of the present state of the iron manufacture in Great Britain, by W. W. Porter; and a sketch of the present state, of the steel industry, by Henry Newton. All these subjects are treated with great care, and the whole volume bears ample testimony to the ability of the chief geologist and the industry of this assistants. This volume is intended as simply preliminary to the final report, which Prof. Newberry hopes to have embodied in four volumes—two of them devoted to geology and palæontology, one to economical geology, and one to agriculture, botany, and zoology. The materials for these volumes are in advanced stage of forwardness, and will embrace monographic treatises on the several subjects, which will be of the utmost benefit in ascertaining and developing the resources of the State.—A society was organised in New York some time since under the name of the “Palestine Exploration Society,” with the Rev. Dr. J. P. Thompson, chairman, Dr. Howard Crosby, secretary, and James Stokes, jun., treasurer, with a list of members including the principal archæologists of the Eastern States. Its first report was published some time ago, embracing an account of the American explorers in Palestine, and the proceedings of the English Palestine Exploration Society, notices of the late explorations in Jerusalem, the Moabitic stone, &c., and concluding with an appeal to all persons interested,for contributions of funds to aid in carrying out the proposed researches of the society. The field of investigation proposed includes the territory east of the Dead Sea and the Jordan Valley, as also Hermon, Lebanon, and the valleys and plains of Northern Syria. A simultaneous prosecution of researches in this field by two such bodies as the American and English societies will probably be productive of very important results, especially if supported with proper official documents from the Turkish Governments. As so much of what is now on record in regard to the geography and condition of Palestine is due to Americans, it is much to be hoped that the work may be continued by them toward a successful completion.
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Scientific Intelligence From America * . Nature 5, 414–415 (1872). https://doi.org/10.1038/005414a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/005414a0