SWALLOW — MEEK'S NOTES ON GEOLOGY OP KANSAS. 507 



Mr. Meetts Notes on my Preliminary Report of the Geology 

 of Kansas, as edited by Dr. Hayden. 



By Prof. G. C. Swallow. 



These " carefully prepared Notes," which appeared in the 

 July number, 1867, of Sillman's American Journal, seem to 

 demand some notice on my part.* But before proceeding to 

 the matters in debate, it may be proper to state that this la- 

 bor is rendered very disagreeable by the peculiar animits of 

 these Notes and sundry other papers and criticisms of the 

 same authors. Profs. Marcou, Agassiz, Heer and Geinitz, and 

 Drs. Shumard and Norwood, and Maj. Hawn and myself, all 

 may be wrong in our views of the geology of our North-west- 

 ern States and Territories; still it would be much more agree- 

 able, if those who feel in duty bound to correct our errors 

 woidd, in doing it, exhibit a little more of the suaviter and 

 the amenities so common to, and inseparable from, scholarly 

 men of science. Very few men of sound learning and solid 

 attainments assume supercilious manners, even toward those 

 far below themselves in attainments, and much less toward 

 their peers and superiors. Some of the men, whose papers 

 on our Western Geology have been treated with so much 

 want of consideration, have attained such eminence in sci- 

 ence, that even ill-natured critics are usually constrained to 

 admire and honor them. With what feelings, then, must 

 every true lover of science receive their productions? 



There was probably no design to make these criticisms so 

 obnoxious and distasteful, as all of us know how much more 

 pleasure we take in reading papers which cultivate the most 

 kindly relations and sympathies and emulations among sci- 

 entific men. It is, however, to be hoped we shall grow wiser 

 as we increase in age and experience. 



But to pass by the manner, tone and bearing of our critics 

 towards their co-laborers in this western field, the paper in 

 question seems to be designed to accomplish several objects : 



1. To publish again the extensive labors of Dr. Hayden, 

 assisted by Mr. Meek, in the Territories of the North-west, 

 together with the labors of Messrs. Meek and Hayden in 

 Kansas. 



2. To call attention to two supposed errors in my Prelim- 

 inary Report on the Geology of Kansas. 



3. To set forth anew and more in detail the claims of 



*To prevent any misunderstanding respecting my delay in noticing 

 these Notes, it may be proper to state that some geological investigations 

 have detained me in the Territories of the North-west during the last 

 eight months. 



[April, 1868.] 33 



