60 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF 



A letter was read by the secretary from Mr. Richard C. 

 Taylor. 



The Constitution, as reported by the committee on the Consti- 

 tution and By-laws, was then read by the secretary. After sev- 

 eral amendments it was adopted. 



Resolved, That Prof. Silliman be requested to publish his ad- 

 dress, read before this Association, in the American Journal of 

 Science, as one of its articles. 



After some remarks on the subject of drift, Prof. Emmons of- 

 fered the following resolution, which was carried. 



Resolved, That the subject of drift in our country receive still 

 further examination from the committee, and that a further report 

 be made at the next meeting of the Association. Objections to 

 the views presented, and to the manner in which the subject has 

 been treated by geologists in general, arc, that many phenomena 

 are confounded together ; as, 1st, the washing up of ridges along 

 the shores of lakes ; 2d, those of glaciers ; 3d, of icebergs ; 4th, of 

 alluvial beds ; 5th, the accmTiulation of bowlders along what 

 were ancient coasts ; and 6th and 7th, pot-holes and slickensides. 

 Icebergs do not necessarily act upon rocks when borne along, 

 inasmuch as they are supposed to be defended by soft materials, 

 as gravel, sand and mud ; they explain merely the distribution 

 of boivlders ; and that their peculiar movements, when grounded, 

 are not lilvely to form parallel grooves or scratches. The theory 

 of a hemisphere of ice, capping the whole of at least the north- 

 ern region, is objectionable, from the utter extinction of life, es- 

 pecially of molluscous animals, which must have boon produced 

 by it, but which does not appear to have happened, as there is an 

 uninteiTupted or unbroken series of them from the eocene to the 

 present. 



Resolved, That a committee of three or more be appointed, 

 each to make a distinct report on the subject of drift. 



Prof. Emmons, Prof. Wm. B. Rogers, Mr. Vanuxem, Mr. 

 Nicollet, and Dr. Jackson, were appointed on the above com- 

 mittee. 



Resolved, That all committees which have not reported this 

 year, be instructed to report at the next meeting. 



Resolved, That a committee of one be appointed to inquire, 

 through all available sources, in regard to the influence of ice- . 

 bergs on di'ift. Mi*. Couthouy was appointed on the above com- 

 mittee. 



Prof. Locke read a paper on the ancient earthworks of Ohio. 

 A discussion, followed some rem£a"ks of the chairman (Dr. ]\Ior- 



