56 THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION 
by way of illustration, he draws six layers of rock, sub-divided into 
thinner beds, numbered from the bottom upward, 2 to 6. ‘We 
stumble now,” he remarks, “upon the forms of life manifest by their 
stony shapes. Our first find is a Z77/obite. The specimen found in 
the lowest and oldest belt is perfect, while 2, 3 to 6 reveal a degra- 
dation of a startling character.” This statement alone is sufficient to 
prove that despite the life-long study of Geology, he has acquired 
very little knowledge of Paleontology. The most charitable con- 
struction we can put on the matter is that the learned gentlemen 
has never seen a Cambrian Trilobite. Take the earliest known to 
science, the Crustaceans of the lower and middle Cambrians. The 
writer is in possession of the second contribution to the studies of 
the Cambrian Faunas of North America by the Director-General of 
the United States Geological Survey, the Hon. Chas. D. Walcott, a 
man whose knowledge of the class is superior to that of any living 
man. TI also have figures of the extensive collection of the New 
York Survey, not to call your attention to the few in our own 
museum cases. I ask the section what conclusion can you arrive at 
regarding them when you compare them with others of a later date. 
Unless I am greatly mistaken you will agree with Professor Miller, 
the author of ‘‘ American Palzeozoic Fossils.” The Articulates are 
represented by the lowest form of Trilobites, which, in their perfect 
state (note this) represented the embryonic condition of the existing 
Limulus. This is the opinion, likewise, of other palzeontologists, 
who notice their inferiority, loose-jointed, crustaceous—some un- 
furnished even with eyes. Yet the Dr. informs us we are quite 
mistaken—that when it appears it is immediately seen that it is not 
capable of any improvement. Being perfect, he adds, it could not 
be made more so, and thereby evolve into something more perfect, 
being already complete and faultless. 
One may feel inclined to pity the Reverend Doctor’s congrega- 
tion if his theological views have not a surer foundation than “ his 
life-long study of geological matters.” Modern research has com- 
pletely demolished many of the views once entertained, and with a 
movement of this sort a portion of ‘‘the unco good” cannot have 
much sympathy. Our free libraries are doing much in dispelling 
superstitious belief in ancient traditions. Short though the time 
since the one in Hamilton was opened, we can perceive already that 
