316 Association of American Geologists and Naturalists. 
Mr. John L. Hayes, from an extensive observation of the feet 
and tracks of living birds, was led to the belief that the Ornithich- 
nites of Hitchcock were probably impressions of volant Gralle, as 
these birds inhabited low and marshy ground, while the heavy 
Struthoid birds allied to Apteryx and Dinornis, were the fre- 
quenters of arenaceous plains and lofty hills. 
Dr. Emmons showed specimens from the Potsdam sandstones, 
having strong impressions resembling rain-marks—proving the 
existence of these ancient meteorological registers, and of course 
of the rains producing them, much lower down in the rocks than 
heretofore observed. 
Prof. Hitchcock then exhibited casts of nearly all the varieties 
of bird-tracks hitherto discovered in the Connecticut sandstone. 
These casts had been skillfully prepared and grouped by his friend 
Dr. James Deane of Greenfield, the original discoverer of the 
tracks. He said he could not but feel that the Apteryx character 
of the impressions, taken with the discovery of the Dinornis, had 
had a great influence on the mind of Mr. Owen, as deciding his 
final conclusion. He had himself been so much impressed with 
the mammalian massive character of the Ornithichnites giganteus 
when first discovered, that after an attentive consideration he re- 
jected the specimens, in the belief that no bird could make so 
bold and deep an impression. He could not believe that the birds 
which made such impressions were volants; while on the other 
hand, some of the impressions were so delicate and slight as to 
equal the tracks of any of the volants of the present day. 
Dr. Jackson read extracts from a letter of Elie de Beaumont, 
expressing his great interest in the specimens of O. giganteus 
which Dr. J. had sent him, and his belief that they were animal 
tracks. . , 
In the course of this discussion Ex-Governor Szwarp had been 
introduced to the Association by Prof. Emmons. He was ad- 
dressed by the President, who expressed in the name of the As- 
sociation the great obligations American geology owed to him 
for the zeal and fidelity with which he had carried the New York 
survey to a successful completion. 
To which Gov. Seward briefly replied. 
Subsequently Gov. S. was elected a member of the Association. 
Mr. John L. Hayes read a report, prepared in pursuance of a 
resolution of the Association, upon the probable influence of ice- 
bergs upon drift. 
