ON THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE. ix 



be affirmed. M. Marcou bad, however, made four great divisions of 

 tbe strata, corresponding with those abroad, but this was entirely 

 arbitrary, and a generalization beyond all these facts which had been 

 obtained. Mr. Blake protested against the reception of the western 

 portion of the map as a fair exhibition of the knowledge which had 

 already been published, and stated that his criticisms were not upon 

 local details of the map, but upon erroneous representations extending 

 for hundreds of miles. Moreover, M. Marcou had not availed himself 

 of the printed documents and reports upon American Geology in his 

 possession, but his representations were in many cases directly opposite 

 to those made by the explorers of regions where he had never been. 

 The view taken by Mr. Blake was also sustained by all the geologists 

 present. 



The second annual report of the Geological Survey of North Caro- 

 lina, by Prof. E. Ernmons, has been presented to the Legislature of that 

 state and published. The results of the survey, thus far, have been 

 most interesting, and throw much light upon the age of the red sand- 

 stone rocks, extending from the Valley of the Connecticut to North 

 Carolina. Some of the fossils described by Dr. Einmons most resem- 

 ble those obtained from the Permian strata of Europe. Many new 

 and undescribed species have, in addition, been brought to light, which, 

 at present, it is difficult to classify. The final result when developed 

 and worked out, as it will be by Dr. Emmons, will form one of the 

 most valuable contributions ever made to American Science. 



During the past year the first volume of the Proceedings of the 

 Philosophical Society of Victoria, published at Melbourne, Australia, 

 has been received in this country. It is difficult to realize that a 

 scientific and learned society should be in full and vigorous action in a 

 land which so recently was considered a terra incognita, and which, at 

 the present time even, is so far removed from European or American 

 influences. 



The following suggestion, which is especially worthy the attention 

 of all friends of American scientific progress, was made at the last 

 Meeting of the American Association by President Hitchcock : So 

 large a portion of our country has now been examined, more or less 

 thoroughly, by the several State Governments, that it does seem to 

 me the time has come when the National Government should order a 

 survey geological, zoological, and botanical of the whole country, 

 on such a liberal and thorough plan as the surveys in Great Britain are 

 now conducted ; in the latter country it being understood that at least 

 thirty years will be occupied in the work. 



Mr. Stainton, the well known Entomologist, of England, proposes to 

 issue an " Entomologist "Weekly Intelligencer," of eight octavo pages, 

 as a medium among entomologists for the prompt registration and dis- 



1mm 

 * 



