THE NEW YORK GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 819 



trict ; Professor Ebenezer Emmons, of Williams College, was assigned 

 to the Second District ; Mr. T. A. Conrad, of Philadelphia, was as- 

 signed to the Third District ; and Mr. Lardner Vanuxeu, of Bristol, 

 Pennsylvania, to the Fourth District.* 



The mineralogical department was assigned to Dr. Lewis C. Beck, 

 a native of Albany, but at that time a Professor in Rutgers College, 

 New Jersey. Dr. John Torrey, of New York city, was commissioned 

 as State Botanist, and Dr. James E. De Kay, of Long Island, as State 

 Zoologist. 



The assistants in the geological department commissioned by the 

 Governor were, Caleb Briggs in the First Geological District, James 

 Hall in the Second, George W. Boyd in the Third, and James Eights 

 in the Fourth District. 



The instructions given to these officers were essentially the same 

 as recommended in the report of the Secretary of State. Each of the 

 geologists was required to collect, in his own district, eight suites of 

 rock specimens, but no conditions of this kind were imposed upon 

 the mineralogist, botanist, or zoologist. A special draughtsman was 

 appointed for the zoological department and also for the botanical 

 department. The geologists were each allowed a small sum ($o00) 

 annually to pay for drawings of sections, maps, etc., which might be 

 required for the illustration of their reports. 



This, in brief, was the organization of the Geological Survey at its 

 commencement. At the end of the first year, it became evident to the 

 geologists that the relations of the rock formations, the age and order 

 of superposition, among the then unknown, or very imperfectly under- 

 stood, stratified deposits, could only be determined on paleontological 

 evidence. They therefore itnanirnously recommended to the Gov- 

 ernor that some competent person be appointed to devote himself to 

 that department. To this position Mr. Conrad was assigned, thus 

 leaving a vacancy in the Third Geological District, which, after a 

 reorganization of its boundaries, as before explained, was assigned to 

 the charge of Mr. Vanuxem, and Mr. Hall was appointed to the Fourth 

 District. 



As had been suggested in the report of the Secretary of State, the 

 scientific staff assembled each year, and sometimes twice a year, in 

 spring and in autumn, at the Capitol, to compare notes and observa- 

 tions, to agree upon methods of work, and to receive suggestions from 

 the Governor. These meetings became more important and even 

 essential to the geologists, since they soon found themselves dealing 



* It will be seen that neither of the principal geologists was a native or resident of 

 the State of New York, though Lieutenant Mather had previously been instructor in the 

 Natural Sciences in the Military Academy at West Point. Nor should it be forgotten that 

 no inquiry was ever made regarding the political opinions of these gentlemen, and it 

 proved that, of the seven principals of departments thus appointed, six were in political 

 opposition to Governor Marcy. 



