WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 53 



prepared a number of geologic maps, largely for the purpose of illus- 

 trating the Survey scheme, but which were very useful compilations. 

 The first of these was the geological map of the United States pre- 

 pared with the assistance of Professor C. H. Hitchcock, and pub- 

 lished in 1885 in the fifth annual report. It was on the scale of 100 

 miles to the inch and very beautifully executed. Another edition of 

 this map, incorporating results of a large amount of new field work, 

 was issued in 1894 in Part 2 of the fourteenth annual report. 



It was McGee's instigation and zeal that led to the preparation of 

 the large geological map of the state of New York which was the first 

 one published since 1844. In the first stage of this work McGee and 

 Hall made a compilation of the geology, but the base was poor, and 

 the information that could be placed on the map so fragmentary and 

 indefinite as to location that the result was useless. With authority 

 from the Director of the United States Geological Survey a new base 

 was compiled from county maps, and the writer was transferred to 

 the state work for parts of two seasons to map boundaries and piece 

 together the work of local observers. The map was finally published 

 by the United States Geological Survey in cooperation with the State. 

 In the course of this work I heard from Dr. Hall warm praise for 

 McGee's phenomenal keenness as an observer and his great ability to 

 grasp the problems presented. 



Early in his connection with the Geological Survey McGee was 

 placed in charge of the Potomac Division of Geology, which was cre- 

 ated to study the region contiguous to the basin of Potomac River, 

 but the area was finally extended to comprise all of the middle and 

 southern Atlantic coast province. He accomplished considerable 

 field work himself in many portions of this area and directed the op- 

 erations of a number of other investigators. Among the latter were 

 Dr. G. H. Williams on the crystalline rocks of the Piedmont slope; 

 Dr. J. A. Holmes, Dr. W. B. Clark, R. H. Loughridge, and N. H. Dar- 

 ton on the Mesozoic and Cenozoic geology of the Atlantic coastal plain; 

 and Dr. E. A. Smith, L. C. Johnson, and Dr. E. W. Hilgard on the 

 formations of the Gulf region and Mississippi embayment. He also 

 had charge of work by Hay in Kansas and of Dr. Phinney's investi- 

 gation of the gas in Indiana. At the time of the Charleston earth- 



