154 FoRTT-sixTH Report on the State Museum, 



matter at that time in the office of the State Printer, which it will 

 be necessary to replace, that the work upon the Museum reports 

 of last year can not be taken up for some months to come. It is 

 likely therefore that still greater delay will occur in commencing 

 the printing our reports, and the report of this year will be still 

 further delayed than usual. 



The preliminary work in preparation for the engraving of the 

 geological map involved a journey to Washington and another 

 to ]^ew York and Philadelphia which occupied a considerable 

 time, but which, through the earnest and persistent efforts of Mr. 

 McGee of the United States Geological Survey, proved successful, 

 and the Regents have in their possession a contract with Messrs. 

 Evan & Parties of Washington for the engraving of the base for 

 the geological map, and a proposition from Major Powell, Director 

 of the Survey, to furnish, without cost to the State, the color plates. 

 Proof sheets of one half the base map have been received from 

 Washington during the month of ISTovember, and proofs of the 

 remaining portions of the State are promised very soon, and will 

 undoubtedly be in hand before the end of the present year. The 

 field work upon the geological map began in early 'June, and a 

 portion of the State in the Oneonta district was carefully examined 

 by Mr. Darton of the United States Geological Survey, who was 

 joined by the State Geologist towards the conclusion of his work 

 in a final review of the region examined. The result of this 

 work has been the confirmation of certain views relating to the 

 relations of the Oneonta sandstone, Chemung group, and the 

 Catskill group proper, which had been published by the writer 

 many years ago, but which it seemed desirable to review and con- 

 firm by fuller examination before the final publication of the 

 geological map of the State. The details of this work will appear 

 further on, accompanied by a map of the region. 



The greater part of the autumn, from early September to the 

 middle of November, has been given to field work connected 

 with the geological map and the Livonia salt shaft. It was con- 

 sidered very important that the Helderberg escarpment, which 

 forms such a conspicuous feature in the eastern part of the State 

 from Cherry YaUey eastward to Coeymans and southward to 

 Rondout, should be carefully examined and the limits of the 



