GEOLOGICAL, AND NATURAL HISTORY SURVEYS. 347 



sum shall iuclucJe tlie fossils described; will you give me your opinion of this 

 proposition, and whether it is such a one as any man competent to do this work 

 would accept as the only remuneration for his services. 



14. I have claimed that the labor and exi-ense of making a proper collection 

 for the preparation of the work on the p;Ueontology is fully equal to. or even 

 greater, than that of making the original geological surveys and collections In 

 the same districts of country in the State of New York. What is your opinion 

 In regard to this point? 



15. I shall be further under obligations to you if you will offer any suggestions 

 as to the proper mode of organizing this department; and also for any facts 

 or arguments that might have weight with the authorities in Kew York having 

 charge of this work, which would show the necessity and importance of carrying 

 out to a proper degree of perfection in the collections the results of the survey 

 of New York. In this connection I would consider a few words upon the plan 

 and ultimate objects of your geological museum of great importance, 



^larch 17, 1S55, 



To this the following reply was received: 



Geological Survey Office, 



Montreal, March 11. 1S55. 

 To Prof. James Hall, 



Paleontologist of New York. 

 Deae Sir : In reply to the questions you have proposed to me on the subject 

 of the publications connected with the paleontology of New York I beg to send 

 you what follows: 



1. I have been acquainted with the progress of the work upon the paleon 

 tology of New York ever since I came to America in 1S43. 



2. The value and usefulness of the work to geological science can not be too 

 highly estimated. It constitutes the only safe guide that I am acquainted 

 with to enable us to understand with accuracy, as far as it goes, the true se- 

 quence of the rocks of North America and thus to follow out the physical 

 structure of the continent. 



o. Alter undertaking the geological survey of Canada I availed myself of the 

 first opportunity that offered, which was, I believe, in the beginning of lSGf>, 

 to pay a visit to Albany for the purpose of making myself acquainted, as far 

 as I could, with what v.as known of the paleontology of New York. The first 

 volume of your work was not then published, but by your kindness I was put 

 In advance of the public and enabled to complete a tabular list comprehending 

 every fossil known. Many of these were not then specifically named; and in 

 addition I was permitted to make manuscript copies of such drawings and 

 plates as you had, representing the forms. Without this I should have been 

 urder the necessity of establishing by very laborious comparison a set of 

 paieontological rules for myself. But with it I was at once enabled to enter 

 upon a determination in detail of the sequence of such Canadian rocks as came 

 under my observation. This was, however, chiefly in regard to the Lower SiUu 

 rian series. But even in regard to this I found when your first volume came 

 before the public in ISGO that you had added greatly to the number of species, 

 and this volume has ever since been a most valuable guide. Bulky as it is, 

 I have frequently considered it expedient to take it to the field with me when 

 examining Lower Silurian rocks in distant localities. In the list I obtained 

 from you the number of species in the higher rocks were so much fewer that 

 unlil the second volume came out the want of equal detail from undisturbed 

 locality rendered the determination of the various members of the Upper Silu- 



