this hitherto entirely unknown district, which explorations were continued by Gaudet and Wells during the winter of 1857-1858.

The whole country between the Red River and Lake of the Woods appeared perfectly level, although it actually descends toward the east nearly 400 feet. Dry prairies change alternately with wooded districts and extensive swamps, the latter being particularly frequent toward the north. The establishment of a road through this district seemed to them an utter impossibility.

Hind went up the Assiniboine River, explored the Great and Little Rat river, examined the valley of the Red River up to Pembina, and followed the Reed Grass or Roseau river up to a great swamp, which separated this stream from a lake of the same name. Unfortunately Hind could not survey this river up to its sources, but all the Indians who lived there agreed that a swamp of 9 miles in extent existed between Roseau lake and Lake of the Woods. This swamp sends the Reed river, 30 miles long, to the latter lake, and another little rapid river. about 40 or 50 miles long, to lake Roseau. From the Great Muskeg morass goes a little river westward into an extensive swamp, from which the Rat river issues.

Gladman was relieved from his post as chief in April, 1858, and Napier was also recalled about this time. But Hind went the same spring again with Dickinson, Fleming and Hine on another expedition known as the " Assiniboine and Saskatchewan expedition." Their object was to explore the region west of the Red River and Lake Winnipeg up to the Saskatchewan river. Before they arrived at Fort Garry, Dawson, Wells and Gaudet had already made some new surveys, around the Red River, Lake Winnipeg, and the lower Assiniboine, and had just left for the lake district. This latter party went by way of Lake Manitobah and Lake Winnipegosis, over Mossy Portage toward Cedar or Bourbon lake to the grand rapids of the Saskatchewan river. At Mossy Portage they separated; Wells went over Lake Winnipegosis, Lake Dauphin, Lake Manitobah. the Little Saskatchewan river, which he found to be 8 to 12 feet deep, 250 yards wide, free from rapids and throughout adapted for steam navigation, thence over Lake Winnipeg to the Red River. The rest of the party followed Swan river to Fort Pelly, and thence went down the Assiniboine river.

Dawson considers the whole alluvial plain east of the Pasquia and Porcupine hills and Dauphin mountains, where the large lakes are situated, well adapted for settlements. It is partly prairie land, for the most part, however, thickly wooded. North of Lake Dauphin wood predominates; south of it the country becomes more open, and toward the Assiniboine an apparently endless prairie commences. Wheat gives abundant harvests near Lake Manitobah and the Little Saskatchewan river, and near the latter even Indian corn may be cultivated. The valley of the Swan river is particularly fertile, and climate equals that of the Red River district. The Red Deer river district has also a good soil and fine climate, as its maple tree forests plainly show. Coal is said to be found in the Porcupine hills and the Duck mountain; Dawson himself found samples of lignite near Snow river. The great alluvial valley of the Assiniboine and its branches will, in his opinion, hereafter become one of the finest wheat growing districts upon earth.

Near Moss or Dauphin river, a fine navigable stream, the Indians grow maize, melons and potatoes. Vines, hops, and vetches grow naturally in abundance.

Hind and his companions went (June 14, 1858,) from Fort Garry in a westerly direction over Fort Ellis toward the missionary station near Qu' Appelle lake, (July 18) where he divided his corps into three parties: Dickinson travelled on the Qu'Appelle river up to its mouth, thence on horseback to Fort Pelly; Hine surveyed Long lake northwest of the Qu' Appelle mission, then went over land to Fort Pelly to meet Dickinson, and to explore with him the Dauphin mountains ; Hind and Fleming followed the Qu' Appelle river up to its source, went over to the elbow of the southern arm of the Saskatchewan or Bow river, on which they travelled down until they reached Fort â la Corne (August 9.) The Qu'Appelle and Bow rivers have no connections as Dr. Hector believes. The latter (southern arm of the Saskatchewan) has down from its elbow for a distance of about 100 miles, a width of 300 yards to half a mile, then it becomes narrower and straighter in its course, its sand and mud banks disappear, and finally it hurries through a narrow and deep valley, with a strong current toward the northern arm of the Saskatchewan, with which it unites, forming one river (Saskatchewan) which now goes toward Fort à la Corne through Pine and Cedar lakes into Lake Winnipeg. Fleming followed this course from Fort à la Corne into Lake Winnipeg, along its western coast, until he reached the Red river. Hind made a land voyage along Long Creek, then turning southeast went over Touchwood hills to Fort Ellis, where he met Dickinson, with whom he returned over White Mud river to Fort Garry (September 4.)

But Hind and Fleming soon started on another excursion (September 18). They went in boats along the western shores of Lake Winnipeg, up to the mouth of the Little Saskatchewan, hence (September 29) into Lake Manitobah, and by means of Water Hen river and a lake of the same name reached Lake Winnipegosis where they examined the salt springs, which had been imprudently exhausted by the Indians. From thence they started for Lake Dauphin, ascended the Dauphin mountains (1700 feet high), and navigated Lake Manitobah in different directions. Hind stayed four days on a little island there, which was much revered by the Indians as the seat of the "Manitou," or fairies. On its northern side were limestone cliffs about fifteen feet high, which by the beating of the waves emitted sounds very similar to chimes from a number of church bells, ringing at a distance. From Oak Point, at the southern extremity of the lake, the party went over land to Fort Garry, where they arrived the 31st of October, 1858.

Hine, while sojourning on the Red River during the fall months, took photographic views of landscapes, churches, Indians, etc. Dickinson made excursions in the district east of the lower Red River, and in the regions between the Assiniboine and the U. S. boundary, but particularly along Rivière Sal through the Pembina mountains and Blue hills.

Some Caradian journals have blamed this Expedition for not having made any determination of points and for giving generally but little positive information, although $50,000 to $60,000 had been expended for the purpose. They said that the country had been much better explored by the late astronomer Thompson. This, however, is an unjust imputation. Astronomical observations of points,

although very valuable, cannot be the main object of explorers, who have to run through a great number of districts in a comparatively very short time, and who must give us the general features of the country; moreover, as here a great number of such fixed points already exist, a careful survey of routes by dead reckoning is perfectly sufficient. The reproach that the country had been much better explored by Thompson is most unjust. Thompson's reports where undoubtedly as little accessible to the members of the Canadian expeditiou as they were to the rest of the world; besides, if we compare Thompson's chart with that of the expedition of 1858, we perceive that our knowle lye of the country between Lake Winnipeg and Bow river is more accurate and more complete than Thompson's.

The expe lition has achieved much. They made very comprehensive levellings, effected numerous measurements of width, depth and rapidity of rivers an lakes, made geological observations, inquired into the climate, forests, quality of soil, ete, made surveys and discoveries between Lake of the Woods and the Red River, between the Assiniboine river the U. S. boundary, along the upper Assiniboine an 1 Qu'Appelle rivers, in the district of the great lakes etc. A comparison of their charts with the older ones of these districts will at once show that the money was not thrown away.

This expedition has moreover excited the curiosity of the people more than that of Capt. Palliser. Thus a society was formed at St. Paul in Minnesota, who, under the direction of Col. Noble, left this city in June, 1859, with the object to explore the valleys and sources of the Saskatchewan and Columbia rivers. Their plan was, to start from the elbow of Bow river toward the Rocky Mountains, to explore carefully the region of their eastern foot up to the Edmonton House, thence to go over Arthabaska Portage between Mount Hooker and Mount Brown toward the sources of Thompson's river, and here to disperse in different directions. Col. Nobles intended to start for the source of Columbia river, and to return over Lewis and Clarke's Passage, the Missouri Falls, the valley of the Milk river, Fort Mandan, Big Stone Lake, and Fort Ridgley to St. Paul. Dr. Goodrich accompanies them as physician, and the Snithsonian Institution sent Dr. C. L. Anderson, of Minneapolis, to make scientific observations and collections.

The Board of Trade" in St. Paul offered a reward of $1000 for the first steamer that should ply on or before the first of June on the Red river, and the “Anson Northup" really commenced her voyages in June. She carries, besides passengers, 100 to 150 tons of cargo, and is intended to do the post service between the mouth of the Shagerme river and Fort Garry, and thus to connect St. Paul, (which sustains a post wagon up to the Shagerme River) directly with the Red

River.

Another company in Canada intend to put four steamers on Rainy lɔke, Red River and Lake Winnipeg. Even the settlers on the Red River themselves show an active spirit of progress.

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

Government Map of Canada, from Red River to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, compiled by THOMAS DEVINE, P. L. S., Head of Surveys, Upper Canada Branch. This is, without exception, the most useful map of the Province that has yet appeared. It is on a scale of thirty miles to the inch; and in addition to the ordinary topographical matter, it conveys much valuable information in the shape of lists of townships, distances, &c. All the new roads and townships are laid down; and the engraving and getting up of the map leave nothing to be desired.

Contributions to the Palæontology of Iowa, by JAMES HALL. This publication is in the form of a supplement to the author's Report on the Geology of Iowa. It contains descriptions and figures of various new crinoids from the Carboniferous formations of the West. The described species belong in great part to the genus Actinocrinus; but new forms of Poteriocrinus, Forbesiocrinus, &c., are also announced. A new genus is likewise instituted under the name of Trematocrinus. This belongs to the family of the CYATHOCRINIDE, and is more or less closely related to both the Rhodocrinus of Miller, and the Acanthocrinus of Romer. Probably, however, these allied genera, with some other near-lying forms, may eventually be united, by an extension of the type-characters of the older genus. The following is the generic formula of Trematocrinus, as given by Profe-sor Hall:-Basal plates, 5; sub-radial plates, 5; Radial plates, 3×5; Supra-radials, or Radials of the second order, 3 (or 4)×10. Anal plates, 12 to 17 or more. Inter-radials, 12 to 15 or more. Arms, five, bifurcating. Pores or amb ilacral openings, 10. E J. C.

MONTHLY METEOROLOGICAL REGISTER, AT THE PROVINCIAL MAGNETICAL OBSERVATORY, TORONTO, CANADA WEST,-AUGUST, 1860.

Latitude-43 deg. 39.4 min. North. Longitude-5 h. 17 m. 33 s. West. Elevation above Lake Ontario, 108 feet.

712
.693
.608 .553
.525 .558 .677

.73 74
8.92.390 355.323 346 .93 .58
9.77.827.457.323.366 .82 78
6.92.320.456.356-384 .85 .70
-5.97.353.386.436-403

NbW
79.75 N b w Nw bN Nw b NN 36 w
79 79 N N W sbw NNW
78.76 Nbw
.89 62.90 .78 ss E
80 73 NNE
72.75 N bw

NW bws E DE