

Association of American Geologists and Naturalists. 95 



\ 



cordiality which should ever draw them together. He alluded 

 to the short period allotted to the meeting, and urged essential 

 brevity in all communications ; cautioned against empty specu- 

 lations and useless debates, as inconsistent with the matter-of-fact 

 business of geology ; recommended to the Association especially 

 the study of organic remains as of absorbing importance, and 

 suggested several problems for solution by its means. He also 

 pointed to the services which the knowledge here acquired would 

 enable each to render to the community in which he resides, and 

 cautioned the members against allowing the influence of their 

 characters to be improperly used in mining and other specula- 

 tions. He finally felicitated the geologists upon the disposition 

 now so widely evinced of a revolution, by which the talents of 

 our country are to be turned towards the chastening pursuits of 

 physical research, especially in the department of astronomy, and 

 upon the influence which such a taste must exert upon that sci- 

 ence which embodies the elements of all the departments of 

 Physical knowledge. 



On motion of Prof. Hitchcock, it was voted that members of 

 e Association be requested to give to the secretaries the titles 

 the papers they propose to read, with the number of minutes 

 squired for each paper. 



^ On motion of Prof. W. R. Johnson, Mr. W. C. Redfield, Prof. 



' c cock, and Prof. Johnson, were appointed by the chairman a 

 «»mnittee of business. 



^oted to adjourn to 4£ o'clock, P. M. 



sed Session.— A paper was read " On the origin of the 



hav lmentai T rocks of the United States, and on the causes that 



w 6 /if t0 their e,evation above the level of the sea '" b y Wm - 



• Mather, Professor of Natural Sciences in Ohio University. 



j n « T ^ n the causes of the great currents of the ocean, and their 



Ce on the transportation and deposition of the sedimentary rocks. 

 ( A -) Introduction. 



eneral description of the extent, thickness and variety, 

 anous materials indicate modifications of causes, 

 ransport could only be effected by the aid of currents. 

 ' ses favorable and unfavorable to marine organism, 

 ese sedimentary rocks composed of the wrecks of older rocks 

 ot these rocks once the bed of the ocean. 



>/ 



Evidenc 



es ^ at these rocks were formed in the ocean. 







