154 NATURAL SCIENCE. Feb.. 



graduating in 1846 at the Western Reserve College, and later at the 

 Cleveland Medical College in 1848. In 1849-50 he travelled in 

 Europe, and in 1851 entered upon private practice as a physician 

 at Cleveland, Ohio. 



Newberry, however, was imbued from childhood with a taste for 

 Natural Science, and the routine of a medical practitioner soon 

 proved irksome. In 1855 he determined to devote himself to purely 

 scientific investigation, and during that year he undertook the duties 

 of surgeon, geologist, and naturalist to the Government expedition 

 under Lieut. Williamson, organised to explore the country between 

 San Francisco and the Columbia River. This resulted in his first 

 published work on The Geology, Botany, and Zoology of North California 

 and Oregon. In 1857-58 Newberry was one of the original explorers 

 of the now well-known canons of the Colorado River, and, still later, 

 he prosecuted geological researches in New Mexico, Arizona, and 

 Utah. 



Newberry's distinguished services were soon rewarded, and in 

 1866 he became Professor of Geology in the School of Mines, 

 Columbia College, New York. Two years later he also received the 

 appointment of State Geologist of Ohio, and thenceforward his more 

 systematic work began. The reports of the Geological Survey of 

 Ohio, published under his direction, contain not merely stratigraphy 

 and economics of local interest, but also detailed monographs on 

 palaeontology of fundamental importance. The descriptions of the 

 Devonian and Carboniferous fishes and plants were contributed by 

 Newberry himself; and these, with subsequent writings on the same 

 subject, led to an entirely new view of the gigantic " placoderm " 

 fishes of the Paln?ozoic period. A large and unique collection accumu- 

 lated, and this the Professor placed in his museum at the Columbia 

 College. 



While actively engaged in lecturing and teaching until 

 two years ago, Professor Newberry continued his favourite studies 

 of the Palaeozoic and early Mesozoic fishes and plants with 

 so much success that in 1888 and i8go he was able to issue two 

 great monographs under the auspices of the United States Geological 

 Survey. The first volume relates to the Triassic fishes and plants of 

 New Jersey and Connecticut, and the second deals with various 

 Devonian and Carboniferous fishes, each containing a synopsis of 

 earlier researches, combined with new figures and many observations 

 not previously published. Though somewhat antiquated in their 

 style of treatment of the matter, and not remarkably systematic, 

 these two works will ever remain standards for reference, and the 

 mine of clearly-enunciated facts they contain will form an enduring 

 monument of the author's industry and acumen. Even until the last, 

 Dr. Newberry was contemplating a supplementary volume on the 

 Palaeozoic fishes, and he also had nearly ready for issue a monograph 

 on the Cretaceous flora of New Jersey. 



