Proceedings. 309 



limits of species of plants in the basin of the Red River of the 

 North, was read by Prof. MacMillan, who also, after the reading, 

 called attention to the analogy between the Red River valley and 

 that of the Minnesota river in some of their vegetal aspects. 



Patrick Kennedy presented a paper on the Geology of the 

 Minnesota river valley. It was read by Peter Christianson, of 

 which the following is an 



[abstract.] 



The paper was prefaced by a short history of the geological explora- 

 tions in the valley of the Minnesota. 



Major Warren and Capt. C. E. Davis, of the U. S. Army, were the first 

 to explore this part of the state. The first part of the paper discusses the 

 surface geology — the nature of the river bed, the character of the banks, 

 the position and arrangement of the various rocks, stratified and un- 

 stratified. The second part discusses the glacial geology of this region — 

 gives the history of the Minnesota river. Gen. Warren was the first to ad- 

 vance the theory the Minnesota river is the successor of a glacial stream, 

 now called River Warren. This river drained the valley of the Red River 

 of the North and flowed into the Des Moines river valley through Union 

 Slough. Mr. Warren Upham has collected facts and made extensive ex- 

 plorations of the ancient shore line of Lake Agassiz, confirmatory of this 

 \ iew. The third part of the paper is devoted to the discussion of the geo- 

 logical formations, which are of interest from an economic point of view 

 as well as from the fact that they are a record of the changes which this 

 part of the state has undergone. Early explorers: Le Seuer (1700), Prof. 

 Keating of Pennsylvania University (1823), Mr. Featherstonaugh (1835), 

 Drs. Owen and Shumard (1847-1850) and Prof James Hall (1866), N. H. 

 Winchell, the state geologist, in 1873. In recent years the entire valley has 

 been thoroughly explored by Prof. C. W. Hall of the U. S. Geological 

 Survey and Mr. Warren Upham. 



The location, extent and value of the various granites, limestones, 

 sandstones, etc., are noted, after which there is a brief sketch of the ma- 

 terials used in the manufacture of lime, cement, glass, pottery and brick. 



The paper closes with an allusion to the pre-glacial river which occu- 

 pied the present Minnesota river valley. 



Fred W. Sardeson then read two short papers, one entitled : 

 "Paleozoic fossils in the Glacial drift of Minnesota," and the 

 other, "Fossils recently discovered in the Saint Peter sandstone 

 of Minnesota." 



The first of the two papers was discussed by Dr. H. C. 

 Leonard, who had lived for some years at Fergus Falls, of which 

 the following is an 



[abstract.] 



There is a great quantity of limestone in the drift of Ottertail, Wilkin 

 and Grant counties. Near the western edge of the hilly lands and the east- 



