REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 81 



GEOLOGY. 



For some time it had been the wish of the Director to extend geo- 

 lojric investi.yation into certain fields which, owing to limited funds, it 

 had not been possible to study. It is very gratifying to note that at 

 the beginning of the fiscal year much was accomplished in this directioQ 

 by the addition of several eminent geologists to the Survey staff, as 

 well as by securing the activ'e cooperation of others whose duties would 

 not admit of their assuming additional obligations. The former will 

 be mentioned specifically in referring to their respective fields of work; 

 the latter include such well-kjjown scientists as Professor Hall, of the 

 Geological Survey of New York ; Professor Newberry, of the School of 

 Mines, Columbia College, New York; Professor Safford, of the Geolog- 

 ical Survey of Teuuessee; and Professor Cook, of the New Jersey State 

 Survey. 



N'orth Atlantic Division. 



Neio England District. — The discontinuance of the transconlineutal 

 survey by the Northern Pacific Eailroad left Prof. Eaphael Pumpelly 

 free to engage in other lines of work, and his services were secured for 

 the direction of the investigations to be undertaken primarily in the 

 Archean formations of the Atlantic slope. The general plan of pro- 

 cedure will be to take up the investigations in New England and extend 

 them southward, at the same time carefully studying the many other 

 problems connected with this region. In pursuance of this plan, pre- 

 liminary reconnaissances were made in New England towards the close 

 of the current year. 



Prof. N. S. Shaler, of Harvard University, who has given considera- 

 ble attention to the geology of New England, will be associated with 

 Professor Pumpelly in this task. Pending the final decision as to the 

 course to be pursued, Professor Shaler found time, with the aid of vol- 

 unteer assistants, to study the geologic history of Cape Cod ; to con- 

 tinue his examination of the Narragansett coal fields; to examine criti- 

 cally 100 miles of the main shore line, obtaining valuable collections of 

 fossils therefrom ; to make observations as to the evidences of recent 

 shoreline movements; to study the drift-sheet of this region; and to 

 bestow some attention on the ])henomena connected with swamps. 



Much information concerning the geology of New Jersey had already 

 been acquired by Prof George O. Cook, the State geologist, and the pub- 

 lication of the material pi-ovided for by the State. Under arrangements 

 with Professor Cook the paleontology of New Jersey is to be published 

 hereafter by the United States Geological Survey. A reference to the 

 paragraph on "Publieations" will show that the carrying out of this i)lan 

 has been commenced through the i)ul)lication by theSurvey of Whitfield's 

 "Brachiopoda and Lamellibranchiata." It has already been noted that 

 Professor Cook, in addition to his geologic duties, undertook the man- 

 agement of the map])ing of the unsurveyed portions of the State. 

 S, Mis. 33 



