Association of American Geologists and Naturalists. 95 



cordiality which should ever draw them together. He alluded 

 to the short period allotted to the meeting, and urged essential 

 brevity in all communications ; cautioned against empty specu- 

 lations and useless debates, as inconsistent with the matter-of-fact 

 business of geology ; recommended to the Association especially 

 the study of organic remains as of absorbing importance, and 

 suggested several problems for solution by its means. He also 

 pointed to the services which the knowledge here acquired would 

 enable each to render to the community in which he resides, and 

 cautioned the members against allowing the influence of their 

 characters to be improperly used in mining and other specula- 

 tions. He finally felicitated the geologists upon the disposition 

 now so widely evinced of a revolution, by which the talents of 

 our country are to be turned towards the chastening pursuits of 

 physical research, especially in the department of astronomy, and 

 upon the influence which such a taste must exert upon that sci- 

 ence which embodies the elements of all the departments of 

 physical knowledge. 



On motion of Prof. Hitchcock, it was voted that members of 

 the Association be requested to give to the secretaries the titles 

 of the papers they propose to read, with the number of minutes 

 required* for each paper. 



On motion of Prof W. R. Johnson^ Mr. W. C. Redfield, Prof. 

 Hitchcock, and Prof. Johnson, were appointed by the chairman a 

 committee of business. 



Voted to adjourn to 4^ o'clock, P. M. 



Afternoon Session. — A paper was read " On the origin of the 

 sedimentary rocks of the United States, and on the causes that 

 have led to their elevation above the level of the sea," by Wm. 

 W. Mather, Professor of Natural Sciences in Ohio University. 



Part I. — On the causes of the great currents of the ocean, and their 

 » influence on the transportation and deposition of the sedimentary rocks. 



(A.) Introduction. — On the sedimentary rocks of the United States. 



General description of the extent, thickness and variety. 



Various materials indicate modifications of causes. 



Transport could only be effected by the aid of currents. 



Causes favorable and unfavorable to marine organism. 



These sedimentary rocks composed of the wrecks of older rocks. 



Each of these rocks once the bed of the ocean. 



Evidences that these rocks were formed in the ocean. 



'-^ 



