284 CHARACTER AND CONTENTS 



Of the volumes published, two are on the Botany of the 

 State, by Dr Torry of New York ; five on its Zoology, 

 by Dr De Kay ; four on its Geology, by Mather, Van- 

 uxem, Hall, and Emmons, one volume by each ; one on 

 the Mineralogy, by Dr Beck ; one on the Palaeontology, by 

 Mr Hall ; and three on the Agriculture, by Dr Emmons. 

 There are in these volumes some things which might 

 have been done more methodically, had the work to be 

 begun now with the knowledge acquired during the pro 

 gress of the survey, and with the prospect of the large 

 sum to complete it which has from time to time been 

 voted for the purpose ; but it is. on the whole, very credit 

 able to the science of the State of New York, contains 

 large additions to our previous knowledge, especially in 

 its geological and palseontological department *, and is an 

 honourable testimony to the willingness of the common- 

 sense legislators of the State, to expend large sums of 

 money even for objects which do not at first sight pro 

 mise an equivalent return of material profit. The fame 

 which such works bring to a country goes for some thing 

 even with them. 



An examination of the several volumes of this work 

 has reminded me of an observation, which numerous 

 other circumstances from time to time forced upon my 

 attention during my stay in the United States. A fever 

 ish anxiety manifests itself every now and then, even 

 among scientific men of undoubted talent, to give their 

 science a national instead of a catholic character. The 

 naturalists are uneasy under the fetters of European 

 authority, and call out for a nomenclature native to 

 themselves. The geologists disdain to name their for 

 mations by designations taken from European localities, 

 and wish to make it a point of patriotism to contrive and 

 adopt a classification and nomenclature purely American. 

 The mineralogist insists upon the necessity of an analysis 

 of all minerals found in America, simply because they 



