140 Cincinnati Society of Natural History. 



of the small plates often fouud in this genus attached to the outer cen- 

 ter of the brachials. They are, however, not uniforml}' present in any 

 arm of an^^ specimen. 



The mere fragment of the upper part of the column attached to a 

 single specimen is composed of very thin plates, and gradually tapers 

 downward from the body of the crinoid. 



Locality and position: Kaskaskia (Chester^ Group, sub-carbonifer- 

 ous, Pulaski county, Kentucky. 



NOETH A 3£ ERIC AN ME80Z0IC AND CMNOZOIC 

 GEOLOGY AND PALAEONTOLOGY. 



By S. A. Miller, Esq. 



The sciences of Geology and Pali^ontology had not advanced manj' 

 steps, in Europe, before their growth had commenced in America. 

 Their development, therefore, has been nearly' contemporaneous in the 

 two countries, though more rapid in the early part of the century- in 

 the Old World than in the New. Europe has had William Smith, J. 

 S. Miller, Sowerby, Murchison, L3^ell, Bronguiart, D'Orbigny, Gold- 

 fuss, Sternberg, Barrande, and many other distinguished authors; 

 while America has had McClure, Morton, Vanuxem, Hitchcock, Con- 

 rad, Leidy, Hall, Lesquereux, Logan, Billings, Dawson, and others, or- 

 iginal discoverers, who possessed the philosophical learning necessary 

 for the correct application of the discoveries to the advancement and 

 growth of the sciences. The facts, however, upon which these sciences 

 are based, and which constitute the superstructure, as now understood, 

 have been ascertained, so recently, tliat one would hardly undertake 

 to enumerate a score of the principal fathers of them, in either countr}', 

 without mentioning the names of some who are still living. 



The first society organized for tlie advancement of science in North 

 America, of which we have any account, is the American Philosophical 

 Society, instituted in 17(>9, in Philadelphia. The earliest geological 

 papers that seem to be worth mentioning, appeared in the Transactions 

 of this Society, and thougli its publications have not been rapid, they 

 continue to appear, and to hold a high rank, whether devoteil to 

 Geology, Palaeontology, or other departments of science. The societ}^ 

 is indebted for its organization to Benjamin Franklin. The first 

 volume of the Transactions appeared, in quarto, in 1771. 



