64 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NEW HAVEN MEETING 



New Haven. He said, "I have always regarded the trap as intrusive after the 

 tilting of the sandstone, but an entirely different theory is now being advo- 

 cated for the northern part of the Connecticut Triassic. I want you to ascer- 

 tain the facts for the New Haven region and determine the theory that applies 

 to them, without reference to its authorship." And he accepted with equi- 

 nimity the changes in theory that became necessary from the study. 



He was much interested in the progress of this investigation, and once took 

 Dr. George H. Cook, of New Jersey, out to see some newly found exposures. 

 Doctor Cook was somewhat slow in getting out of the carriage, but Professor 

 Dana was as spry as a cat. He apologized for helping Doctor Cook, on the 

 ground that the latter was the elder. Comparison of ages showed to the sur- 

 prise of both that the New Jersey man was younger by several years than his 

 more agile colleague. As a matter of fact, Professor Dana was noted for the 

 rapidity with which he got over the ground when leading a geological excur- 

 sion. He seemed to begrudge the time that was consumed in passing from one 

 point of geological interest to another. 



He was an indefatigable and charming letter-writer, as his biography shows, 

 and the kindness of his heart led him not to neglect his former pupils. Within 

 a year of his death, while being allowed to work only three hours a day and 

 while every moment was precious for the completion of the fourth edition of 

 his "Manual of Geology," he devoted part of one at least of those valuable 

 working periods to writing a long letter elucidating an intricate problem in 

 geology for the benefit of one of his old students. 



I can not close this all too brief tribute without referring to his work as an 

 editor, and especially to part of his work as an author. For a half century 

 he put the impress of his personality on the American Journal of Science, 

 making it a training school for American scientists and a necessity for the 

 college professor and the laboratory and field worker. As the author of the 

 "System and the Manual of Mineralogy," the "Manual and the Text-book of 

 Geology," and the "Geological Story Briefly Told," Professor Dana made his 

 impression on every geological class-room in the country. The influence of a 

 great teacher never dies, and James D. Dana was a great teacher. 



DANA, THE GEOLOGIST 

 BY GEORGE P. MERRILL 



In accepting the invitation to speak tonight on Dana as a geologist I confess 

 to having been controlled in part by a desire to make known to you how Dana 

 impressed one who had never fallen under his personal influence, for I knew 

 him but slightly. My knowledge and my opinions are based largely on what I 

 have gained through reading, though naturally molded to some extent by the 

 opinions of friends. In short, it seemed that perhaps I might speak of his 

 work from the cold-blooded standpoint of an historian, unbiased by personal 

 contact, never having antagonized and never working with him except as both 

 were laboring in a common cause. 



Let us consider for a moment the essentials for good geologic work : 



1st. One must be a good observer. 



2d. He must be sufficiently grounded in certain basal sciences to enable him 

 to draw legitimate conclusions from what he observes. 



