78 THE MOUNTAIN. 



remains, and have satisfied themselves as to the parallelism of 

 the formations of Europe and America, having, as they sup- 

 pose, made out the geological equivalents on both continents. 



In this category are a number of the authors of the different 

 geological surveys of the United States, two of whom,* after 

 enumerating several species of fossils answering descriptions 

 in the New York reports of what they call their " Clinton" 

 group, and also in Murchison's silurian system, say, "If our 

 fossils be really identical in species, of which we entertain 

 no doubt, then the rocks in question may be referred to the 

 upper part of the Lower Silurian system, and may be consi- 

 dered the western representatives of the ' Clinton group of 

 New York' and the ' Caradoc of England.'" This is arriv- 

 ing quickly but surely at a sweeping generalization. 



They then proceed to describe their fossils, identifying 

 many with the fossils of New York, and also of Europe, 

 establishing as they think, without doubt their identity 

 with the Silurian and Devonian groups, together with the 

 Carboniferous limestone ; and this also appears to have been 

 the opinion of M. De Yerneuil, after his visit to the localities 

 mentioned. 



On the subject of the identity of American and European 

 rocks, the list of species now accumulated is a most interest- 

 ing achievement. 



Mr. Lyell constantly speaks of our rocks as referable to 

 the classification of Europe. In his travels through this 

 country, the terms " Silurian group of the Transition rocks," 

 or the " Devonian," are as familiarly applied to our forma- 

 tions, as if he were traveling and describing them in England. 



By examining the reports of the geological surveys of 

 this country, it will be seen that many of our geologists 

 endeavor to get our rocks classified after the formula of 

 the European geologists. 



In the second annual report of the Geological Survey of 

 New York, we are presented with their different groups of 



* Yandell and Shumard. 



