48 The Ottawa Naturalist. [May 



who sought not only to point out the at once practical and 

 economic side in the resources of the earth's crust ot" Canada, his 

 native land, but one who diligently and intelligently hammered 

 away at the numerous problems ot pure geological science. They 

 are numerous the problems in the geology of North America 

 which are as yet unsolved ; and, wherever an element of doubt 

 came in, as to the truth or validity of the results propounded by 

 this or that investigator, or whenever intricate bits ot geology 

 presented themselves to his mind and eye for investigation, he 

 made it his sacred duty to closely examine and carefully study their 

 various relations in the field as well as in the office, thus seeking 

 to ascertain all the facts of the case to enable him to arrive at a 

 satisfactory conclusion of the difficult points involved. He never 

 rested until the problem which he had before his mind was solved. 

 In other words he was thorough. His reports, maps and papers 

 are models of excellence and description. He had a facile pen, 

 an intelleect ready and lucid, which could grasp the situation at a 

 glance. His love for thoroughness and the best possible work 

 came forth time and again in his endeavors, as the head of the 

 Geological Survey of Canada, to present to the Hon. the Minister 

 of the Interior, and to Parliament, the reports under his care, as 

 well as the innumerable correspondence of the department making 

 enquiries on the resources of every quarter of our great Dominion 

 as models ot care and attention. The reports issued during his 

 regime as Deputy Head and Director can truly be said to be the 

 pride of the Department. As regards quality as well as quantity 

 of work brought forth and exact information published and dis- 

 seminated by him during the six years and two months of his 

 administration, it can not be denied that they were both un- 

 paralleled in any previous period in the history of this now old 

 and established institution. 



A cursory sketch of the various regions examined by Dr. 

 Dawson during his connection with the Geological Survey of 

 Canada will serve to shew the amount of territory which he covered 

 and the nature of his extensive researches. 



After completing his explorations and surveys in connection 

 with the British American Boundary Commission, and writing his 

 priceless memoir on the same, he contributed several reports which 



