308 LEADING AMERICAN MEN OF SCIENCE 



secure the best results at the least possible cost." By virtue of 

 his office, Marsh held the chairmanship of the committee appointed 

 to carry out the wishes of Congress, and that portion of the report 

 concerning geological surveys and the appointment of a commis- 

 sion on public lands became a law in 1879. Thus originated the 

 present Geological Survey, with the designation by the Chief 

 Executive of Clarence King as first Director. 



In 1883, Marsh succeeded Professor W. B. Rogers as presiding 

 officer of the National Academy of Sciences, and for twelve years 

 he led the deliberations of that body with dignity and ability. He 

 took pride in the fact that from the time of his election as Vice- 

 President in 1878, he never absented himself from a meeting of 

 the Academy a record that probably few members can boast. 

 His resignation took effect in April, 1895. 



One of the most distinguished honors received by Marsh was 

 the Cuvier Prize, awarded him by the Institute of France (Acad- 

 emy of Sciences) in 1898 a prize given every three years for the 

 most remarkable work either on the animal kingdom or on geology. 

 In submitting the report setting forth Marsh's claim to this dis- 

 tinction, Professor Gaudry, after rapidly reviewing the researches 

 of the principal American savants in paleobotany and in inverte- 

 brate and vertebrate paleontology, announced that it was proposed 

 to award the prize in 1898 to one of the paleontologists of the 

 United States, Professor Marsh, who " stands unquestionably the 

 chief of the constellation of distinguished men who are giving their 

 attention to fossil vertebrates." l The various phases of Marsh's 

 work were dwelt upon in some detail, the report closing as fol- 

 lows: 



"It is impossible to enumerate here all the creatures which the 

 hammer of Mr. Marsh has drawn from the rocks and which his 

 genius has restored. The discoveries which are now being made 

 in the United States and in Patagonia open immense horizons be- 

 fore paleontologists. We believe that we are honoring the mem- 

 ory of Cuvier in awarding the prize which bears his name to 



1 " reste le seule chef inconteste de la pleiade d'hommes distingues qui 

 s'occupe des vertebras fossiles," 



