MEMORIAL OF ARNOLD HAGUE 41 



region specially studied by himself, in some instances with the aid of the 

 others field notes or those of Clarence King. Hague's comment on it 

 may be quoted from his memoir of Emmons, prepared for the National 

 Academy of Sciences (page 321) : 



"It is a description of the country, treated geographically, beginning on the 

 Great Plains and progressing westward across the widest part of the northern 

 Cordillera. An endeavor is made to give the structural details and salient 

 geological features lying between the meridian 104 degrees west and the 

 meridian 120 degrees west, the latter being the eastern boundary of the State 

 of California. The volume of atlas maps upon which the early geology was 

 laid down, including the accompanying cross-sections, bears the imprint of 

 1876. . . . Nearly all the great divisions of geological time are represented 

 on the atlas sheets, and in Volume II are described with more or less detail. 

 In this volume the term Laramie formation is used in geological literature 

 for the first time. The necessity for a formation name for a great series of 

 beds covering many hundred square miles in area was readily recognized. 

 The name was suggested by one of the authors of the volume and warmly 

 indorsed by Mr. King, provided it would be acceptable to Doctor Haydeu, who 

 had, of course, observed the formation at a number of localities in the RoclTy 

 Mountains. Doctor Hayden cordially agreed to the adoption of the term 

 Laramie. During the last thirty years probably no geological horizon has 

 been more discussed from many points of view, with all the accumulated evi- 

 dence brought to bear upon the study of this series of beds." 



Mr. Hague is the geologist who first suggested the use of the term 

 Laramie formation. 



In 1877 Hague became government geologist of Guatemala, where he 

 spent a year studying its mines and volcanic districts. In 1878 he went 

 to China, at the instance of Li Hung Chang, to study the gold, silver, and 

 lead mines of north China for the Chinese government. Owing to con- 

 flict of authorities and excessive conservatism on the part of some of the 

 higher officials, he was not permitted to accomplish much of economic 

 value, but enjoyed unusual opportunities for visiting remote parts of the 

 country under government escort. He left no record of his experiences 

 or observations during these years of service. 



In the spring of 1879 the United States Geological Survey was estab- 

 lished by act of Congress and Clarence King was appointed its Director. 

 The first field parties were organized and began work the ensuing sunl- 

 mer, and Mr. Hague was appointed a geologist, to enter on his duties on 

 his return from China. He came back by way of London in March, 1880, 

 and it was in London that the writer of this memoir met him by appoint- 

 ment on his way home from Heidelberg, where he had been studying with 

 Rosenbusch, King having promised him a position as assistant to Hague 

 when Hague should take up his duties on the Geological Survey. The 



