engaged in other investigations. Special collections of fossils were made in the vicinity of Murfreesboro, N. C., for the purpose of recovering species obtained in that locality by Wagner about 1832 and hitherto not represented in the Survey collections.

PALEOBOTANIC WORK.

A monograph on the fossil flora of the Laramie, the great coalbearing formation of the West, was well advanced, and will probably be finished next year. This monograph is one of the results of a special investigation made for the purpose of affording an easy means of identifying this formation and aiding in the classification of the coals of the different localities.

In connection with the mapping of the areal geology of the Kenova quadrangle, in Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia, a special study was made of the paleobotany of the Upper Carboniferous formations of that region for the purpose of ascertaining the extent of the basal unconformity and to aid in correlating the succeeding Coal Measures groups with the rocks in Pennsylvania. A similar study was made in the Birmingham, Ala., quadrangle, which it is hoped will establish the correlation of the enormously thickened coal-bearing section of that State with the formation recognized in the basins farther north in the Appalachian trough and permit the identification of the equivalents of the minor subdivisions or coal groups in the several detached basins.

At the request of the chief of the Brazilian coal commission several collections of fossil plants from the coal fields of Santa Catharina and Rio Grande do Sul were examined and reported upon by Survey paleobotanists, and on the completion of the work the material, which is of considerable scientific value, was presented to the United States National Museum by the Brazilian commission.

Satisfactory progress was made in the work on the bibliography and compendium of paleobotany, which not only serves as a working guide for Survey paleobotanists but is consulted by American paleobotanists generally, and frequently by those of other countries.

PETROGRAPHIC LABORATORY.

The petrographic laboratory, in which three persons were employed continuously and one temporarily, remained in charge of the chief of the section of petrology. Its high record of efficiency was maintained thruout the year, the total output being as follows: Thin sections of average size, 6,295; large or difficult sections, 257; saw cuts, 1,134; surfaces polished, 85. The petrographic reference collection also remained in charge of the chief of the section of petrology, and was substantially increased during the year.

DIVISION OF ALASKAN MINERAL RESOURCES.

The work of the division of Alaskan mineral resources was carried on under the appropriation of $80,000 made for "a continuation of the investigations of the mineral resources of Alaska." Under this authority the following classes of work were done: Reconnaissance and detailed geologic surveys; special investigations of mineral deposits; reconnaissance and detailed topographic surveys.

SEASON OF 1905.

The permanent technical field personnel of the division embraced 11 geologists on annual salaries, 1 geologist on a per diem salary, and 4 topographers. One paleontologist gave a part of his time to the Alaskan work. The office work included 1 geologist, 1 clerk, and 1 typewriter on annual salaries, and 1 typewriter holding a temporary appointment. In addition to the regular technical force, 4 geologic and 4 topographic assistants and 1 special assistant, together with 28 packers, cooks, etc., were employed in Alaska during the summer of 1905.

Nine parties were engaged in field work during the open season, from about May 15 to October 15, in 1905. Several of these were subdivided after reaching Alaska, making 14 parties in all.

Southeastern Alaska.-A party of 2 geologists, a part of the time assisted by a paleontologist, continued the reconnaissance work in the Panhandle. The preliminary study of the geology and mineral resources of the Ketchikan and Wrangell districts was completed. An outline of the results has been published in Bulletin No. 284 and a more complete statement is in preparation.

Yakutat Bay. Three geologists were engaged in this field from June until September. A geologic reconnaissance was completed and a preliminary statement of results has been published in Bulletin No. 284. In connection with the survey of the gold-bearing beach gravels and the lignite deposits, a special study was made of the glaciers of this region, of the evidence of former glaciation, and of the remarkable deformation of the earth's crust which occurred during the earthquake shock of September, 1899. A detailed report on these investigations is in preparation.

Controller Bay. Two geologists and 2 topographers were employed in detailed surveys in this field from May until October. Topographic surveys of 430 square miles, lying between 60° and 60° 30' north latitude and 139° 45′ and 144° 35' west longitude, were completed for publication on a scale of 1:62,500, with 50-foot contours. Of levels, 97 miles were run and 9 permanent bench marks were set. Of traverse, 183 miles were run. Reconnaissance topographic surveys (1:250,000)

were also carried over about 200 square miles of additional area. The geologists made surveys of about the same area as the topographers, and made a special study of the coal fields of the region. An outline of the important results is contained in Bulletin No. 284.

Prince William Sound.-Two geologists were engaged from June 25 to September 15 in making a reconnaissance of the shores of Prince William Sound. All the known copper deposits were examined in detail. A preliminary statement of results has been published (Bul letin No. 284) and the final report is in preparation.

Matanuska Valley.-The coal fields of this district were hastily examined by a geologist during the month of August, and a statement of the results is in press (Bulletin No. 289).

Herendeen Bay. A rapid reconnaissance of the coal-bearing rocks of this region was made by a geologist in June, 1905, and the results have been published in Bulletin No. 284.

Seward Peninsula.-Three topographers, working from June to October, 1905, completed the survey of the areas of the Solomon Special and the Casadepaga Special maps, embraced between longitude 164° and 164° 30′ and latitude 64° 30′ and 65°, and including 470 square miles. The scale was 1:62,500, with 25-foot contours. Levels to the extent of 93.9 miles were run and 17 permanent bench marks were established.

Detailed studies of an area of about 300 square miles in the Nome region were made by two geologists during the summer of 1905. In addition to this the same men made a further study of the tin deposits at York and of the gold placers of the Solomon River and Ophir Creek regions. The results of the latter work are contained in Bulletin No. 284.

Yukon-Tanana region.-Topographic reconnaissance surveys (1: 250,000, contours 200 feet) were extended over an area of 4,300 square miles by two topographic parties. The mapped area includes a part of the Birch Creek, Beaver Creek, and Tolovana River basins. The work was controlled by triangulation carried westward from points previously established in the Birch Creek basin. A part of the area covered by these surveys is included in the Circle quadrangle, in the Yukon-Tanana region, a report on which is in press (Bulletin No. 295). A geologist accompanied the topographic party, working in the Beaver Creek region, and made an areal reconnaissance of the area traversed, and the results have been published in Bulletin No. 284. The field season was cut short by the early snow which fell on September 4. A party of two geologists carried a reconnaissance westward from the international boundary at the head of Sixtymile Creek to the mouth of Delta River and thence to Fairbanks. A part of the results of this work is in print (Bulletin No. 284).

General.--The geologist in charge has been chiefly occupied in routine administrative work. In July, 1905, he visited the parties working in southeastern Alaska and in the Controller Bay region. Considerable time was also spent on a report entitled "The gold placers of Seward Peninsula," which is now nearly completed.

SEASON OF 1906.

Under a continuation of the same appropriation 12 parties were dispatched to Alaska during the months of May and June, 1906. Of these, one topographic and one geologic party were sent to southeastern Alaska. A geologic party went to the St. Elias region and one to complete the mapping of the Controller Bay region. The region lying adjacent to the upper end of Cook Inlet is to be surveyed by two parties. A geologic party is to continue detailed work in the Nome region. By cooperation with the division of hydrography stream gaging was begun in the Nome region. Two topographic parties are continuing reconnaissance surveys in the Yukon-Tanana region. One geologic party has been dispatched to the newly discovered Kantishna placer district and another has been directed to work along the upper Yukon.

DIVISION OF MINING AND MINERAL RESOURCES.

During the year ending June 30, 1906, the division was engaged in the preparation of the reports on the mineral resources of the United States for 1904 and 1905. The report for 1904 was completed and published, and the report for 1905 is approaching completion. Manuscripts for most of the chapters are in hand, and some of them have already been published as advance extracts. The reports received indicate that the total value of the mineral products of the country in 1905 may exceed the value in 1904 by 10 per cent.

The work on the black sands of the Pacific coast, which was authorized by Congress and organized before the fiscal year began, was pushed vigorously during the year at Portland, Oreg., where exceptional facilities for this work were offered by the Lewis and Clark Exposition. The results have exceeded all expectation, and the investigation bids fair to lead to the development of an important and lucrative industry in the utilization of the black sands of the country as a source of gold, platinum, iron ore, and some of the rare metals. It is highly important that this work be continued on the Pacific coast and that it be extended to the promising fields along the Atlantic seaboard.

A considerable portion of the time of this division is consumed in answering technical inquiries, and laboratory facilities should be afforded the division for making simple tests for determining the mineralogic character of the large number of specimens submitted to

it annually. It is not intended that the work of this division should take the place of the commercial chemist, but merely that it be placed in a position to advise correspondents of the nature of specimens submitted and whether or not the material is worth further investigation. The chief of the division has been designated by the Secretary of the Interior to cooperate with the Jamestown Exposition Company in the organization of a mining exhibit at the exposition, to be held in 1907.

DIVISION OF CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL RESEARCH.

During the year 144 analyses were reported from the laboratory, together with 567 determinations of minerals received from various sources. This, with the usual amount of administrative detail, correspondence, etc., represents the routine work of the laboratory. Apart from the routine, the scientific work of the division has been as follows:

Progress was made on a monograph of geochemistry, and the first draft of the manuscript is approaching completion. Much work was done on analytical methods, especially with reference to the determination of the moisture in coals, of fluorine, ferric iron, and manganese in rocks, and a revision of Bulletin No. 176 is nearly completed. A considerable number of rare minerals was examined, especially a series of unusual ores of mercury from Texas. Progress was made upon a research into the secondary enrichment of ores. An investigation was made upon the determination of manganese and zirconia in rocks. A large amount of work was done upon crystallographic measurements, especially of the mercury minerals referred to above. Studies were also made upon the minerals of the lithia region of California.

In the physical laboratory, after completion of the memoir on "The isomorphism and thermal properties of the feldspars," two other series of minerals were taken up, in order, if possible, to carry thru an equally careful investigation of some typical eutectic series. The minerals chosen for these studies were the magnesium silicates and the lime silicates. A paper on "Wollastonite and pseudowollastonite, polymorphic forms of calcium metasilicate," was completed and pubblished, and a paper on a very interesting and complicated tetramorphic relation occurring in the magnesium silicate series is now nearly ready for publication. As a part of the same general plan of investigation, another investigator was engaged upon the limestone series, studying all possible stable forms from pure lime to pure silica. A careful investigation was also made of the phenomena attending the melting of pure silica (quartz); this has immense technical interest on account of the value of quartz glass, which can be heated white hot without softening and while still hot be plunged into water without breaking.