Reports and surveys for a railroad route from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. Route near the thirthy-fifth parallel, explored by Lieutenant A. W. Whipple, Topographical Engineers, in 1853 and 1854. Reports on the botany of the expedition. [in: Reports of explorations and surveys to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. made under the direction of the Secretary of War, in 1853-4, according to acts of Congress of Match 3, 1853, May 31, 1854, and August 5, 1854. Volume IV]

Washington, DC, B. Tucker [for the Ministry of War], 1856. Large 4to (29.0 x 22.2 cm). vii, 193 pp., 59 lithographed plates [numbered Cactaceae I-XXIV; Botany I-XXV; Mosses & Liverworts I-X] and a very large, folded coloured map of a botanical profile from Fort Smith to San Pedro. Original embossed cloth. Gilt title on the spine. = Important contribution to the botany and in a lesser degree to the zoology, astronomy, magnetic observations and climatology of this part of the U.S. The most important parts are the description of Cactaceae by G. Engelmann with 24 lithographed plates and the botanical part including its large index of plant names by J. Bigelow as well as the mosses liverworts by W. Sullivant. Together with a general description of the botanical character of the country and a description of forest trees (both by Bigelow) they form the complete Report on the botany of the expedition, which is part V of the expedition results. It is combined with the smaller part VI, Reports on the zoology of the expedition, but only covering field notes on various vertebrates, and several astronomical and meteorological appendices. Hinges a bit weak; seven plates in the cactus part and five in the botanical part a bit foxed. This copy was given by Lieutenant Colonel J. D. Graham of the U.S. Topographical Engineers in December 1860 to the Bavarian Academy of Sciences (handwritten note pasted in on the front). A very good copy. Stafleu and Cowan, 515 (Bigelow), 1691 (Engelmann & Bigelow), 13405 (Sullivant), 14765 (Torrey). Not in Nissen BBI.