Emmons on American Geology. 397 
Arr. XL.—Emmons on American Geology.*+ ; 
Tux laborious investigators of our American geology can 
scarcely find time for the preparation of popular treatises, which 
shall embody the results of their researches, and the consequence 
too often is that this labor is left for those who are most unfit for 
the task. Itis but a few months since another pen than ours 
called attention to Mr. Marcou’s poor caricature of a geological 
map of North America, and showed that both the map and the 
y 
lated to give foreign readers most erroneous ideas, not only of the 
‘State of American science, but of the true geological structure 
of the country. We recall this with more regret, because we 
observe that Sir R. ® Murchison was deceived by Mr. Marcou’s 
pretensions, and lent to the map a certain sanction in the pages 
of Siluria, before he was apprized of its worthlessness. The fact 
that Mr. Marcou is a comparative stranger in our country may 
explain his ignorance though not his presumption; but we regret 
to say that no stich excuse can be urged in behalf of the author 
Whose name appears at the head of this article. Dr. Ebenezer 
Emmons js known to tbe American public as having been the ge- 
ologist charged with the examination of the vorthern district of 
the State of New York, and as the author of the so-called 
‘Taconic System; besides which, as geologist to the State of 
North Carolina, he has given us two or three reports, which we 
may notice further on. With these antecedeuts, he presents to 
the world the first part of*a work on American Geology. 
The author seems to have sat down to his task without any 
* American Geol taining a statement of the Principles of the Science, 
with fall Tilustrations of the teres characteristic American Fossils; to be completed in 
four parts, with an Atlas and a Geological map of the U. States; by Ebenezer Em- 
L et 
Adbang; 1064) = oe 3 , 
‘ ; : a review of another of Dr. Emmons’s 
_ + The Editors make no apology for inserting a1 MS ‘al clai oe 
