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in the arts of life; and even within our own limits, 

 the tumuli of the West denote the existence in that 

 country, at one period, of a superior race to that 

 which the first white settlers found there. These are 

 subjects which it is expected will engage the atten- 

 tion of the Institution, the examination of which can- 

 not fail to shed light on our early history. 



Geology assumes in this country a greater interest 

 than elsewhere, from the vastness of the region, from 

 the great extent of its contiguous formation, and from 

 its being a comparatively unexplored field for sci- 

 entific investigation. It is important to ascertain 

 whether this portion of the world has, like that al- 

 ready examined, been subjected in its creation to 

 great general rules of construction, or, if that order 

 has been departed from, to know in what particulars. 

 Such investigations have already been carried to 

 some extent, but the results are not universally 

 known; and the geologist cannot ascertain, with 

 any precision, the laws which govern the forma- 

 tions of this portion of the earth, and the relative 

 order of their distribution, without some central 

 place where specimens may be deposited, facts 

 reported, and all necessary information obtained. 

 Sensible of the advantages to be derived from con- 

 ferring together to compare facts and mutually to 

 correct theories, the geologists of the United States 

 lately assembled at Philadelphia, arid separated, it 

 is understood, with the intention of meeting annually. 

 Wherever such combinations exist, they have pro- 

 duced the most beneficial results; and the existence 

 of a museum of natural history here, will render 



