Association of American Geologists and Naturalists. 319 
separation of the glaciers from the land, and then floating into the sea 
as icebergs, with loads of earth and rocks, lead to the conclusion that 
icebergs, breaking off from the shores of ancient seas, were important 
agents in the transportation of rocks and earth from their parent beds. 
The existence of immense fragments of rock in situations where they 
could not have been earried by water alone, as on the sides of hills 
with valleys intervening between them and their parent beds, but where 
they might have been left by stranded icebergs, favors this conclusion. 
5. The fact that a large part of the fragments detached from glaciers 
are of small size, and that these small fragments of icebergs or glaciers 
are dissolved and broken to pieces at no great distance from the parent 
glaciers, together with the fact that fragments of rock, although often 
seen near their source, are rarely seen at a distance, lead to the infer- 
ence that the same causes limited the transportation of the bowlders 
and larger fragments of the drift, to within the comparatively small 
distance from the parent rocks at which they now occur. 
Mr. Nicollet, from the committee on drift, had drawn upa 
short paper on the erratic deposits of the great valley of the Mis- 
sissipp?, which however he did not read, but made some remarks 
on the great importance and interest of the subject, and its bear- 
ing on the philosophy of geology and present causes. He urged 
the importance of an united effort on the part of all of the mem- 
bers of the committee on this subject, and the advantages of 
their making up a general report on the subject to embrace the 
views and observations of all. 
The standing committee then handed to the chair the follow- 
ing resolution, which was passed, and the letters mentioned ad- 
dressed. 
“The standing committee has come to the conclusion that from 
the number of papers to be presented, it is inexpedient to accept 
the polite invitation of the railroad companies. 'Therefore re- 
solved, that the secretary address a letter of thanks, making 
known the regret of the Association, and that it be sent to the 
secretaries of the said companies at an early hour.” 
Dr. C. T. Jackson was on the committee appointed to report 
on the subject of drift; he had, from his labors in the field and 
laboratory, been prevented from giving that time to the pre- 
paration of a paper on the subject which it seemed to require. 
He would call attention to a few subjects orally. The uniform 
direction of these scratches seemed to indicate a general cause 
acting in a direction from the north. In Lapland and Finland 
their course was found to be from northwest to southeast. 
