4 Geological Progress, 



we come to study the connexion between Palaeontology and Strati- 

 grapliy. The collection of fossils, except for purely zoological pur- 

 poses, is of little geological value unless the precise horizon is known, 

 or the locality and rock described with sufficient minuteness to enable 

 its stratigraphical position to be afterwards determined. For in- 

 stance, such localities as " Devonian, Torquay;" '' Devonian, Newton 

 Bushel," are of very little geological value when the horizon and 

 character of the rock are not indicated. The stratigraphical relations 

 of the Devonian rocks have not yet been made out in detail ; and 

 until this is done, and it is a labour of many years, the succession 

 of life-forms cannot be thoroughly depended upon, nor can the fossils 

 be rightly used for identifying particular horizons in obscure tracts 

 of ground. 



Upon the geologist resident at or near spots where fossils can be 

 obtained, the important work of collecting would devolve ; and it is 

 only necessaiy to mention the unrivalled private collections of Mr. 

 J. E. Lee, of Torquay, or Mr. Yicary, of Exeter, to show how much may 

 be done in this way. Nor should we fail to estimate highly the 

 palseontological labours of Phillips, Etheridge, T. M. Hall, and others, 

 who have by their combined work rendered our knowledge of the 

 Devonian fauna very complete ; but, (as in the work of Phillips), the 

 precise horizons of all the fossils which swell our lists are not indicated, 

 nor can they be determined until the stratigraphical relations of the 

 rocks are made out in detail in West Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall. 



Time, save to the professional geologist or man of fortune, is fre- 

 quently very limited, at any rate for field-work, but for this reason 

 the observations made on geological excursions and holiday trips are 

 by no means to be despised. And in this direction the Geologists' 

 Association deserves the highest praise for carrying out such an 

 excellent annual series of both long and short geological excursions. 



There are many points needing corroboration, and many facts to be 

 gathered, in which a month or six weeks' holiday may be profitably 

 spent, and even far shorter periods. But geological excursions, when 

 several meet together, are very often, and rightly, rather times of 

 relaxation than of actual work. Geologists, whose special studies 

 perhaps lie in different directions, meet : the actual details of sections 

 visited are in themselves perhaps interesting to but a few; and hence 

 on field-excursions, there are many individuals who come under the 

 designation of " bread and cheese naturalists." They come out for 

 relaxation; and fresh air and novel scenes exhilarate, and lunch is 

 perhaps particularly enjoyed. 



In these days, when so much is said about mental strain and the 

 hurry of life in the struggle for existence, the relaxation of natural 

 history excursions by field clubs is rather to be commended than 

 otherwise. 



And, after all, the ''high-water mark" of thought (as Prof. Huxley 

 puts it) consists in dealing with educational, scientific, and philo- 

 sophical subjects in a broad, general, and interesting way, so that one 

 may get out of the groove in which one's special work lies, and 

 afford time for the consideration of subjects the outcome of special 

 work in all departments of Science. 



