104 PROCEEDINGS OF THE INDIANA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



therefore probably somewhat cautious about expressing his ideas of the 

 origin of stratified rocks. It is as follows: "The greater part of Indiana 

 must have been, at some period of the earth's history, covered by an ocean, 

 for most of the fossils in the limestones are of marine origin." In the second 

 report he put aside this caiition and stated that the rocks of the blue lime- 

 stone in southeastern Indiana are "remarkably interesting on account of 

 their numerous marine fossils. Some of these are in a wonderful state of 

 preservation, and so abundant that the rock is, in fact, almost an agglutinated 

 mass of marine shells and corals, which lived, died and became entombed in 

 the sediments and precipitates forming in the ocean during the earliest period 

 to which geologists are able to trace back organic existences." 



In his summary he tnithfully states that: "None of the precious metals 

 are likely to be found in Indiana, unless in minute portions in the bowlder 

 drift, or in small quantities in combination with other metals; because the 

 primitive and metamorphic formations, in which alone productive mines of 

 gold and silver ore occur, do not exist in Indiana. The only metals which we 

 need look for, are iron, lead, antimony, manganese, zinc, cobalt, and possibly 

 some varieties of copper and arsenic ores." We now know that none of these 

 except iron ore occur in the State. 



In an Appendix to the First Report, Dr. OAven offers some "suggestions 

 as to the methods of conducting future surveys" in the State, which were 

 most excellent provided the legislature would furnish sufficient funds, which 

 it has never been willing to do in tlie 80 years which have elapsed. These 

 suggestions were as follows: "If it be desired to make a minute geological 

 survey of the State, it would be necessary to make, with the aid of good 

 instruments, correct topographical examinations and maps of all the ridges 

 and water courses, to ascertain the suecessicm, thickness, dip and course of 

 the different strata; to collect diligently fossil organic remains; to analyze 

 carefully all the ores, coal, cements, marl, clays and soils, so as to estimate 

 their intrinsic relative value; to make experiments upon the durability of 

 certain strata for building materials; to polish different specimens of such 

 strata as seem likely to afford good marble; to endeavor to ascertain the cor- 

 respondence, dip and prevalence of the various seams of coal, and accurately 

 determine their thickness and succession, and those of the intervening strata 

 of sandstone, shale, limestone and clay; to make a general collection of speci- 

 mens, to be arranged and deposited at the seat of Government; to determine 

 the nature and variety of the vegetation peculiar to each formation; and, if 

 means are provided, to make observations on the natural history of Indiana 

 generally; to examine carefully the various species to which the fossils belong, 

 and make a rigorous comparison between them and those found in other 

 parts of America and Europe with a view of correlating our formations and 

 those of other parts of the United States and the Eastern Hemisphere. This 

 is a subject now of the highest interest to scientific men in all parts of the world, 

 as it is to confirm or demolish theories, which materially affect the science of 

 geology, in a practical as well as scientific point of Adew." 



