VERMONT AND WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS. 



459 



both this series and the crystalline rocks of the fourth or "White Mountain 

 series existed in their present crystalline form before the deposition of the 

 eldest Cambrian sediments."* (Cham, and Gcol. Essays, p. 18.) 



The following statement, made by Dr. Hunt in 1873, contains? his 

 own acknowledgment that he maintained, until 1870, views he would 

 now have us understand he had not believed in since 1863, 



" The question of the structure and origin of the Appalachians has been 

 complicated by the assumption that the crystalline strata which constitute 

 their higher portions are altered sediments of paleozoic age, rather than parts 

 of an ancient continent of eozoic rocks which formed the eastern border of the 

 paleozoic sea, corresponding to the Rocky Mountains on the west. The former 

 view has been very generally held by American geologists, and was maintained 

 by the present writer until 1870, when he endeavored to show that the crystal- 

 line rocks of New England and their lithological representatives both to the 

 southwest and the northwest are of pre-paleozoic age and in part Laurentian. 

 [This Journal, II. L, 83 . . . . ]." (Am. Jour. Sci., 1873, (3) V., pp. 267, 

 268.) 



The question arises, whether the geologist, who is desirous of finding, 

 out what Dr. Hunt's real views on any subject may be at the present 

 time, or may have been at any time in the past, can feel any confidence 

 that he is likely to arrive at a satisfactory result. At all events, it has 

 been shown above that official or other conditions may be to Dr. Hunt a 

 sufficient reason, not only for withholding his own views, but for strongly 

 advocating that in which he himself has no belief. 



In 1880 Professor Dana held that the Green Mountains were formed 

 at the close of the Lower Silurian, and sums up the evidence on this 

 point as follows (Am. Jour. Sci., 1880, (3) XIX., p. 200) : 



*' 1. The western half of the region between the Connecticut River valley 

 and the Hudson River, that is, the western half of the Green Mountain area, 

 is proved to consist of rocks that are (1) of Lower Silurian age and (2) of one 

 orological system. 



" 2. The schistose rocks of the eastern half in Vermont are to a large exten 

 similar to those of the western. 



*' 3. The rocks of the central mountain section in Vermont are, in its north- 

 ern part, identical schists (hydromica, etc.), with those on the east and west 

 sides of it. 



*'4. The western border of the' region in the Hudson River valley has its 

 folded or upturned Hudson River (Lower Silurian) slates, overlaid unconfoim- 

 ably by Niagara and Lower Ilelderberg (Upper Silurian) beds. 



'* The eastern border of the region in the Connecticut valley at Bernardston, 

 in Massachusetts, Vernon in Vermont, and the adjoining part of New Hamp- 



* The italics are ours. 



