38 proceedings of the academy of [1890. 



February 25. 

 Mr. John H. Redfield in the chair. 

 Fourteen persons present. 



The death of Dr. Charles C. Parry, a Correspondent, was an- 

 nounced. 



The following was received : — 



Report of the Committee on the Hayden Memorial 

 Geological Award. ^ 



The committee appointed by the Academy of Natural Sciences to 

 recommend the award of the Hayden memorial medal for the most 

 important contribution to the science of geology, has the honor to 

 report to the Academy that is has selected Prof. James Hall, the 

 State Geologist of New York, for the distinction of receiving the first 

 award of this medal. In making the selection the committee feels 

 confident that it will have the endorsement of every geologist both 

 here and abroad, but it deems it due to the eminent character of the 

 recipient, and of the work which he has done for fifty-eight years 

 and is still doing for science, that these services should be here 

 formally acknowledged. 



Prof. Hall was born at Hingham, Mass., on Sept 12th, 1811, and is 

 therefore now in his 79th year. He commenced his scientific life in 

 1832 when, after graduation at the Van Rensselaer Polytechnic school 

 he immediately assumed the duties of a Professor there. His dedica- 

 tion to the special branch of research to which he has made so many 

 and important contributions, began in 1836 when he was appointed 

 Professor of geology at that institution, and the same year one of the 

 Assistant Geologists on the then just instituted geological survey of 

 New York. In 1837 he was made State Geologist in charge of the 

 fourth division of the State. His final report of this district was made 

 in 1843, and thence with the title of State Geologist he was placed in 

 charge of the paleoutological work. From this date till 1879 five vol- 

 umes of the paleontology of the terrains from the Potsdam sand- 

 stone to the base of the coal measures have been issued. He has pre- 

 pared a complete revision of the paleozoic brachiopoda of North 

 America which is now in press and which has necessarily required 

 researches as far west as the Rocky Mountains. 



He was also State Geologist of Iowa in 1855. In 1857 he was 

 elected State Geologist of Wisconsin. He has besides prepared mon- 



