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Show APPENDIX UK. 1303 can be worked advantageously on account of the favorable position it occnpies. No shaft needs to be made for the development of the coal. In each of the three localities the coal can be worked by galleries driven into the sides of cafions. As regards the evolution of gas, i t may be said that, according to present developments, there is no reason to dread this source of danger. The value- of these workable coals is highly important in this region, which is situated so far from the great North American coalfield, and when deep borings shall have been made, here the richness of the coals vJill appear to be much greater than we can safely estimate this wealth at the preseut time./ Proceeding north from Trinidad, the country is underlaid by sandstone until the Spanish Peaks are reached. Here dikes of basalt and trachyte- porphyry occur. In Rydar's Caflon a bed of coarse- grained limonite occurs near the wagon- road. Near the placita of La Molina, a few miles from East Spanish Peak, a dike of ba? alt occurs, having a height of 25 feet and a width of 5 feet. It runs northeast and southwest, and has brokeu through the yellow sandstone. As far as my observations go, this is the only basalt near the Spanish Peaks. At Wateenbnrg and at Fisher's Peak this rock of course is found, but between these places and East Spanish Peak I observed no basalt, except at the locality mentioned above. In the plain lying northeast of Trinidad a few buttes of basaltic rocks are found. Near the Santa Clara Creek I noticed two bnttes of hornbleudo- porphyry, having a granular texture. At Waisenburg, on the Cucharas River, a bed of coal occurs. The locality is on the west side of the river. As my visit at WaUenburg was so short, I was unable to examine this deposit of coal, aud therefore merely mention the occurrence of the mineral. No attempt had been made to work the coal at that time, ( June, 1875 ) It is possible that this coal may belong to the same age as the coal of Trinidad. There are several low ridges of basalt running north and south near Walseuburg. Twelve miles east of the town an isolated butte of basaltic rocks occurs in the midst of the plain. It is called the Orphan Peak, or Cerrito del Huerfano. The main part of the butte consists of granular diorite, while on the west side a mass of- com pact basalt outcrops. This butte is about 200 feet high and 200 yards long. It is longer from north to south than from east to west. These detached masses of igneous rock, lying east of the Spanish Peaks at distances varying from 20 to 25 miles, were evidently upheaved toward the close of the elevation and formation of the main range. Lateral vents existed in the earth's crust through which the basalt was erupted. The numerous dikes of trachyte and hornblende- porphyry ou the eastern and northern sides of the Spanish Peaks, and on the eastern side of Sheep Mountaiu, bear evidence of the vast amount of igneous action that has played a very important part in shaping the physical features of the country. These dikes of rock are in general not more than 100 feet high. They run in all directions, especially in the vicinity of the Spanish Peaks, wheuce the dikes radiate like the spokes of a wheel. Near the head of Bear Creek two of these walls run at right angles to each other. The country lying east of the Huerfano and north of Badito, which borders on the region traversed by dikes, has been described in the annual report for 1675. APPENDIX I. REPORT ON THE ORNITHOLOGY OP PORTIONS OF NEVADA AND CALIFORNIA, BY MR. H. W. HENSHAW. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, GEOGRAPHICAL SURVEYS WEST OF THE 100TH MERIDIAN, Washington, D. C, April 15, 1877. SIR: I have the hon> r to transmit the following report upon the ornithology of the region visited by me during Che tield- sea* on of lfc7t>. Very respectfully, your obedient servaut, H. W. HENSHAW. Lieut. GEO. M. WHEELER, Corps of Engineers, in charge. My opportunities for investigating the bird fauna of this region began in the vicinity of Carson City, Nev., during the last week of August. The rendezvous- camp established here continued till September 15. Up to this date most of my time was occupied in making collections in natural history, such points beiug visited in the neighborhood of Carson as were accessible by daily trips. The party, in immediate charge of Lien- |
