228 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [May 22: 
in New Jersey, but reference to their probable extension 
through Staten Island and Long Island. 
In 1878, a geological map of the United States, prepared by 
C. H. Hitchcock and W. P. Blake, was published in connection 
with the Ninth United States Census, On it the north shore of 
Long Island is shown as cretaceous, in accordance with the 
views of nearly all who had studied the region. It was criti- 
cised, however, by J. D. Dana*, whose ideas in regard to the 
geology of Long Island have frequently differed from those 
held by most other authorities, and he advised, as an improve- 
ment, “to take away the green color, which means cretaceous, 
from the whole of the north side of Long Island, no facts 
making the region cretaceous.’’ Prof. Hitchcock replied briefly 
to this criticism and gave his reasons for coloring the map to 
represent cretaceous, in a paper read at the Portland, Me., 
meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of 
Science in 1873}, in which he says, ‘‘ Notwithstanding the 
evidence is so probable in its favor, it is surprising to observe 
that mine is the first published map that colors their area cor- 
rectly.” 
Professor Dana subsequently modified his criticism} by refer- 
ring to the conclusions of Wm. M. Mather, previously quoted, 
and ending with the brief paragraph, “ We understand that 
there are recent discoveries which will place Prof. Mather’s con- 
clusion on a better foundation.” This practically ended any 
further controversy in regard to the age of the Long Island 
strata, for evidence of the presence of cretaceous strata along 
the north shore of the Island began to accumulate and could 
no longer be ignored. At a meeting of the New York Lyceum 
of Natural History, January 9, 1871, attention had been called 
to angiospermous leaf impressions found in a drift bowlder 
while digging a well at Williamsburg (Brooklyn), Long Island§, 
and at the meeting of the same society on March 23, 1874, 
similar specimens were shown from Lloyd’s Neck||, many miles 
further to the eastward on the north shore of the island. 
Specimens containing dicotyledonous leaves also turned up in 
other parts of Brooklyn during excavations for various purposes, 
and some of these fortunately came into the possession of the 
Long Island Historical Society, thus insuring their preservation, 
with the facts connected with their discovery. 
* Am. Journ. Sci. vi. 64-66 (1873). 
+t Proc, A. A. A. 8. xxii. Part 2d, 181-132 (1874). 
+ Am. Journ. Sci. vi, 305 (1873). 
§ Proce. Lye. Nat. Hist., ist Ser., 149, 150 (1871). 
| Proce. Lye. Nat. Hist., 2d Ser., 127 (1874). 
