162 H. L. FAIRCHILD PLEISTOCENE GEOLOGY OF NEW YORK STATE 



■ 'i, Work of the State Survey 



The Pleistocene phenomena of the State have been the subject of casual 

 observation and publication for over half a century and a bibliography 

 would be too large to present here; but the Glacial and Pleistocene 

 is the youngest member of the geologic branches of study, and only in 

 recent years has the New York State Museum financed the glacial study 

 as a distinct line of field work and publication. This assistance, how- 

 ever, has been generous and effective, as the numerous papers and hand- 

 some maps published since 1900, and specially since 1905, will bear wit- 

 ness. The only elaborate and expensive maps and text published under- 

 other auspices than the State Museum is the U. S. Geological Survey 

 Folio 169, already cited above. A description of the Moravia quadrangle 

 by Carney was published in 1909 by Denison University, with a sketch 

 map in black and white. 



The more important Pleistocene publications of the State Museum are 

 Bulletins 48, 83, 84, by Woodworth; 154, by Stoller, and 106, 111, 127, 

 145 (in part), and 160, by Fairchild. Earlier papers by the writer are 

 contained in the Twentieth Annual Eeport of the State Geologist, 1902; 

 Twenty -first Eeport, 1903, and the Twenty-second Eeport, 1904. Previ- 

 ous papers by the writer on the Pleistocene features of the State were 

 published in the Bulletin of this Society, beginning in 1895, and in other 

 scientific journals. 



For effective future work it is desirable that some scheme or far- 

 sighted plan should bring all the glacial studies of the State into har- 

 monious cooperation for the large result, and also that a cartographic 

 scheme should be adopted that will secure maps as uniform in conven- 

 tion and color as possible. 



Two important subjects requiring systematic study are the moraines 

 and the drift-buried valleys. The State should undertake the mapping 

 of the buried valleys. It should employ a well-boring outfit to secure 

 data for accurate profiles of the hard-rock surfaces beneath the drift 

 north of the Finger lakes and wherever the preglacial valleys of scien- 

 tific interest are obscured. This would be a unique and popular work for 

 <the- State M'useum. The expense of such exploration would not be large, 

 while the scientific and educational value would be great. 



Another duty of the State is the preservation intact of the Jamesville 

 and Blue Lakes cataract features. These splendid evidences of an an- 

 cient glacial drainage antedating Niagara and corresponding in func- 

 tion should be made State property and preserved for the people. They 

 are scenic features of as much beauty and of much more educational 

 value than Watkins Glen and some other State parks. 



