GKOLOGICAI. A^TD NATURAL HISTORY SURVEYS. 4^0 



Ad7ninisfraHon.~-Vi\der the act of 1844 Prof. Cliarles B. Adams, 

 at that time professor of chemistry and natural history in Middle- 

 bury College, was appointed State geologist, entering upon his 

 duties on March 1, 1845. lie was assisted by Zadock Thompson and 

 the Rev. S. R. Hall, who, according to the law, were appointed with 

 the approbation of the governor. He was also assisted from time to 

 time by Dr. Edward Hitchcock and others. In the report for 1845- 

 46 it is mentioned that Denison Olmsted, jr., was engaged upon 

 chemical work for the survey, and that, upon his decease, which took 

 place August 15, 184B, T. S. Hunt, then in New Haven, was qualified 

 to fill the position. 



The salary of the State geologist, as appears from the report of 

 expenses, was $600 a year for the first two years of the survey and 

 $700 for the third. The field assistants, Messrs. Thompson and 

 Hall, appear to have been paid only for the time of actual service, 

 the amount for both, so far as can be learned, being $455 for 1845, 

 $574 for 1846, and $280 for 1847. 



The duties devolving upon the State geologist, in virtue of the act 

 of 1844, were to begin and prosecute a thorough geological survey of 

 the State, embracing therein a full and scientific examination and 

 description of the rocks, soils, metals, and minerals, and to make 

 careful and complete analyses and assays of the same, and also to 

 report annually, on or before the first day of October, on the progress 

 of the work. 



Although not so stated in the law, it appears to have been under- 

 stood that a collection of rocks and minerals of the State was to be 

 formed, and in the report for 1846 mention is made of the fact that 

 not far from 7,000 specimens had been obtained " during the present 

 season alone"; also in the report for 1847 mention is made of the 

 preparation of eight suites, one of which was for the State collection 

 .Hud the others for the University of Vermont, Middlebury College, 

 for the personal use of Professor Adams; for the medical college at 

 Woodstock; for the medical college at Castleton; for the Troy Con- 

 ference College at Poultney; and for the university at Norwich. 



The legislature made no provision for embodying the fact) 

 gathered during the three years of the survey in a systematic report, 

 and with the cessation of the appropriations in 1847 Professor Adams 

 accepted a professorship in Amherst C'ollege, Massachusetts. In 

 1848, Prof. Zadock Thompson Avas commissioned by the governor to 

 take charge of the collections pending final action by the legislatur<? 

 relative to the completion of the survey, by virtue of the following 

 resolution : 



Resolved hy the senate and liouse of repreacnto lives, Tlmt nil collections 

 of luinorals, lieUi notes, sind ;ill preparations iuid iiuitorhils aniiissffl hy tlu.' 



