GEOLOGY. 



233 



ena on tbe other Lave become apparent, and a purely genetic taxonomy 

 of geology, designed also to include seograpby, has been published 

 by McGee.* Although this classification can only be regarded as pro- 

 visional, it may be introduced in brief. It is as follows: 



Classification of geoloijic processes. 



'^ Ji fl.— Defor-^ Aiitecedent<^Epeirogenic ME 

 Ph-^ I niatiou. \ Couseqiieut^Orogenic, \\^ 



o o > 

 ■= * I 2 . 



0,^ r- 



Elevation, 

 epression. 



r, ■, .■ < Deposition. 



-Gradatiou J Degradation. 



Ti - 



1. — Vulcanism. 



^ Extravasation, 



\ (Antithesis of extrav. ) 



,^ .,. ,. ( Litbifaction. 



2.-Alteration J Decomposition. 



Glacial construction. 



■^ , „ ^, . ,. ( Glacial constriictioi 



« < 3.-Glaciation j (.^^^j^j (^estTuction 



S Wind construction. 

 "l Wind destruction. 



4. — Wind action 



_ ,^., , . . S Various const 



5.-Vital action J destructive 



Various constructive and 

 processes. 



(The matter of this record is arranged in accordance with the last 

 classification.) 



DEFORMATION. 



The initial geologic movements (so far as may be inferred from the 

 present condition of the rocks of the earth) were distortion or displace- 

 ment of the solid or solidifying crust in such manner as to produce ir- 

 regularities in the surface of the globe. These are the raovemeuts in- 

 volved in mountain growth and in the elevation of continents; they 

 have been in operation from the earliest eons recognized by the geolo- 

 gist to the present time; and the advances in knowledge concerning 

 them include not only current observations upon the movements now 

 in progress, but observations upon crumpled and otherwise deformed 

 strata, and also legitimate inferences concerning the causes of the 

 movements whose effects are recorded in these strata. 



It has long been known that the waters of the Atlantic are advanc- 

 ing upon the New Jersey coast, in consequence not only of wave-cut- 

 ting, but also of sinking of the land. So rapid indeed is the sinking 

 of the land, particularly towards Sandy Hook, that notable geographic 

 changes have occurred within the last hundred years, and the mining 

 of timber, which grew upon dry land, but is now lodged among its 

 stumps many feet beneath tide level and buried beneath the oceanic 

 and fluvial deposits, has become an industry of some importance. The 



*Nat. Geog. Mag., vol. i, 1888, pp. 27-36; Geol. Mag., Decade III, vol. v, 1888, pp. 

 489-495. 



