7

Marcou's observations were founded on specimens given him by Capt. John Pope, of the United States army, collected by his expedition through that region, which was not visited by Marcou.

The geological map of Marcou is far from giving a correct delineation of the geological periods of Texas.

The report of the Mexican boundary survey, embracing reports of the natural history of the region traversed by the surveying party, was published at Washington, in 1859, in two large volumes, with numerous illustrations. The first volume contains a notice of the country along the Rio Grande, and descriptions of the fossils collected, with geological notes by the well known paleontologists, Messrs. Conrad & Hall. Neither of these gentlemen were ever in that region, hence their report is based on notes and specimens submitted to them.

A few years previous to this period, the importance of having a geological survey of Texas was urged by some of the newspapers of the State, among the foremost of which. was the Houston Telegraph, edited by Dr. Francis Moore, who had, in the meantime, published several articles on the geology of the State, in the Texas Almanac.

The Legislature of 1858 passed a law authorizing a geological and agricultural survey of the State, to be made by a State Geologist, an Assistant State Geologist, and a chemist. The salary of the first was three thousand dollars a year, and of the two last, each fifteen hundred dollars. Dr. B. F. Shumard was appointed State Geologist, and be appointed his brother, Dr. Geo. B. Shumard, his first assistant Dr. Riddell, chemist, all of whom are said to have been installed in office in November, 1858.

First, the State Geologist went to New York and bought apparatus for an outfit, also chemicals.

In 1859, the counties of Caldwell, Comal, Hays, McLen-nan and Rusk were, examined, the work being mostly done by the assistants, the chemist being also in the field.

The State Geologist made a partial reconnoisance of southern and eastern Texas. Late in the autumn a hasty trip to Fort Belknap was made by all the party. Then the State Geologist made his first and only report to the Leg- islature in an octavo pamphlet of seventeen pages. It merely alludes to the counties examined, and gives a short account of the coal field at Fort Belknap. No copy of this is in the State Library. Few persons in Texas knew