278 ANNALS NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



York, and has compared notes with various mining men and geologists, 

 notably ^Y. C. Phalen, E. C. Eckel, E. F. Burchard, S. W. McCallie, 

 E. A. Smith, D. H. Newland and C. H. Smyth, Jr. He finds that ninety 

 per cent of them agree with Smyth's theory, as modified after James 

 Hall, giving these ores a contemporaneous, sedimentary origin. 



Mr. Earle advanced such negative evidences as certain appearances 

 underground which discredit residual origin and an inadequate source of 

 iron according to the older replacement theory. While certain cavernous 

 consolidations containing non-ferruginous sand and some granules coated 

 with calcite argue for replacement, he finds evidence in the impervious 

 strata above and below the somewhat permeable iron formation for a dif- 

 ferent form of circulation, namely : artesian, for the replacing solutions. 

 He pointed out that not only the Clinton horizon, but various other geo- 

 logic epochs in the Appalachians carry iron formations of similar origin. 



Professor James F. Kemp congratulated the speaker on his excellent 

 presentation of the subject and went on to state rather reasonable sources 

 of iron from iron bi-carbonates carried into estuaries, there deposited as 

 hydrous oxides, later to be hydrated. He inquired as to oxidation at such 

 great depths by artesian waters, as to the sources for the iron and sug- 

 gested probable stagnation rather than circulation of the waters under 

 the conditions present. 



Dr. George F. Kunz suggested present conditions along saline shores, 

 inland seas, and even in extensive bogs of fresh water, any of which might 

 be analogous to conditions during deposition of the Paleozoic ores, and 

 cited the association of the Syracuse salts and Clinton ores. 



Professor J. J. Stevenson inquired concerning certain fragments of 

 the ores in the superjacent sediments, cited certain points bearing on 

 leaching and stated that he thinks the whole truth has not been told by 

 the new theory. 



The lateness of the hour precluded further discussion. 



The Section then adjourned. » 



Charles T. Kirk, 



Secretary. 



SECTIOX OF BIOLOGY 



14 April, 1913 



Section met at 8 :15 p. m.. Vice-President W. D. Matthew presiding. 

 The minutes of the last meeting of the Section were read and approved. 

 The following programme was then offered : 



Roscoe R. Hyde, Fertility and Sterility in Brosopliila. 

 Charles Packard, Tuk Effect of Radium on Cellular Activity. 



