728 FRANK D. ADAMS 
himself at that time as being a “moderately diligent, but not a 
specially brilliant pupil.” On leaving school he studied at 
Pictou college, and subsequently at the University of Edinburgh. 
While at the former seat of learning, at the age of 16, he read 
before the local Natural History Society his first paper, having | 
the somewhat ambitious title ‘‘On the Structure and History of 
the Earth.’’ He returned to Nova Scotia in 1847, and two years 
later went to Halifax to give a course of lectures on natural his- 
tory subjects in connection with Dalhousie College, and organized 
classes for practical work in mineralogy and _ paleontology. 
These were attended by students, citizens, and pupils of higher 
schools, a foreshadowing of university extension. In 1850, at 
the age of 30, having already attracted some attention by the 
publication of a number of papers, reports, and lectures, he was 
appointed Superintendent of Education for Nova Scotia. From 
this time he became known in his native province as an inde- 
fatigable promoter of educational progress, and a founder of 
educational institutions. His work in connection with this posi- 
tion obliged him to travel continually through all parts of the 
province, and on these journeys he accumulated that immense 
mass of information concerning the geology and mineral 
resources of Nova Scotia which are incorporated in his largest 
work—that entitled Acadian Geology. 
Sir Charles Lyell, in 1841, on his first visit to America, met 
Sir William, and was by him conducted to many places of geo- 
logical interest in Nova Scotia, and on his subsequent visit in 
1852 they together continued their studies in Nova Scotian 
geology. In a letter to, Weonard Horner, dated Septembeniz 
of this year, Lyell writes: 
‘My companion, J. W. Dawson, is continually referring to the 
curious botanical points respecting calamites, endogenites, and 
other coal plants, on which light is thrown by certain specimens 
collected by him at) Pictou.) ble told me thatthe root ol eje 
pond lily, Nymphza Odorata, most resembled Stigmaria in the 
regularity of its growth, and Dr. Robb showed me a dried speci- 
men, a rhizoma, which being of a totally different family, and 
