﻿PREFACE 
  

  

  With 
  the 
  support 
  and 
  cooperation 
  of 
  the 
  Buffalo 
  society 
  of 
  natural 
  

   sciences 
  and 
  the 
  department 
  of 
  paleontology 
  of 
  the 
  state 
  museum, 
  

   Dr 
  Grabau 
  has 
  prepared 
  this 
  guide 
  to 
  the 
  geology 
  and 
  paleontology 
  

   of 
  Niagara 
  falls 
  and 
  vicinity 
  with 
  the 
  special 
  purpose 
  of 
  affording 
  

   to 
  visitors 
  to 
  Buffalo 
  during 
  the 
  season 
  of 
  the 
  Pan-American 
  expo- 
  

   sition 
  in 
  1901a 
  viaticum 
  in 
  their 
  tours 
  through 
  this 
  region 
  renowned 
  

   for 
  its 
  scenic 
  features 
  and 
  classic 
  in 
  its 
  geology. 
  The 
  ground 
  has 
  

   been 
  the 
  subject 
  of 
  a 
  multitude 
  of 
  scientific 
  treatises 
  concerned 
  now 
  

   with 
  the 
  succession 
  of 
  events 
  in 
  the 
  upbuilding 
  of 
  the 
  rock 
  strata 
  

   along 
  the 
  canyon 
  of 
  the 
  river; 
  again 
  w4th 
  the 
  nature 
  of 
  the 
  organic 
  

   remains 
  inclosed 
  in 
  these 
  strata; 
  sometimes 
  with 
  the 
  changes 
  which 
  

   the 
  falls 
  have 
  undergone 
  in 
  historic 
  times, 
  but 
  for 
  the 
  most 
  part 
  

   with 
  the 
  perplexing 
  problems 
  of 
  the 
  origin 
  of 
  the 
  present 
  drainage 
  

   over 
  the 
  great 
  escarpment 
  and 
  through 
  the 
  gorge, 
  the 
  raison 
  d'etre 
  

   of 
  the 
  falls, 
  the 
  various 
  changes 
  in 
  the 
  course 
  and 
  work 
  of 
  the 
  

   Niagara 
  river 
  since 
  its 
  birth 
  and 
  the 
  significance 
  of 
  the 
  present 
  topo- 
  

   graphy 
  of 
  the 
  region. 
  These 
  scientific 
  investigations 
  began 
  with 
  

   the 
  careful 
  surveys 
  instituted 
  by 
  the 
  late 
  Prof. 
  James 
  Hall, 
  state 
  

   geologist 
  and 
  paleontologist, 
  during 
  the 
  years 
  of 
  his 
  explorations 
  

   in 
  the 
  4th 
  geologic 
  district 
  of 
  this 
  state 
  from 
  1837-43, 
  who, 
  in 
  addi- 
  

   tion 
  to 
  his 
  record 
  of 
  the 
  work 
  done 
  by 
  this 
  tremendous 
  agent, 
  de- 
  

   rived 
  from 
  this 
  region 
  an 
  important 
  term 
  in 
  the 
  New 
  York 
  series 
  

   of 
  rock 
  formations, 
  the 
  Niagara 
  group, 
  and 
  portrayed 
  the 
  organisms 
  

   of 
  the 
  various 
  strata 
  which 
  are 
  so 
  superbly 
  exposed 
  along 
  its 
  great 
  

   channel. 
  Lyell 
  and 
  Bigsby, 
  Logan, 
  Gilbert, 
  Upham, 
  Spencer, 
  Lev- 
  

   erett 
  and 
  Taylor 
  are 
  among 
  the 
  names 
  of 
  others 
  who 
  have 
  contrib- 
  

   uted, 
  from 
  various 
  points 
  of 
  view, 
  facts 
  and 
  hypotheses 
  relating 
  to 
  

   the 
  geologic 
  history 
  of 
  the 
  river. 
  In 
  no 
  one 
  place 
  however 
  has 
  the 
  

   general 
  purport 
  of 
  all 
  these 
  various 
  studies 
  been 
  brought 
  together 
  

   so 
  that 
  the 
  intelligent 
  traveler 
  or 
  student 
  can 
  acquire 
  them 
  in 
  con- 
  

   venient 
  form. 
  It 
  is 
  for 
  this 
  reason 
  that' 
  Dr 
  Grabau's 
  work 
  in 
  bring- 
  

   ing 
  together 
  in 
  concise 
  form 
  the 
  essence 
  of 
  these 
  investigations, 
  

   tempered 
  and 
  proved 
  by 
  his 
  own 
  review 
  of 
  them 
  in 
  the 
  field, 
  will 
  

   not 
  fail 
  to 
  prove 
  serviceable 
  to 
  a 
  large 
  element 
  of 
  the 
  public. 
  

  

  John 
  M. 
  Clarke 
  

  

  State 
  paleontologist 
  

  

  