MEMOIR OF ISRAEL C. RUSSELL 583 



nature. In the exchange of scientific thought he gave generously ; in the 

 field he was a considerate and loyal comrade, as men near and true to 

 Nature are; and in his home, in those intimate relations that are the 

 highest test of character, he has left a memory which sustains his family 

 and is a heritage of love and inspiration for his children. 



Eussell's career falls into four epochs, through all of which runs the 

 chain of exploration. After graduating from the University of New 

 York in 1872, he sought an opportunity to accompany the U. S. Transit 

 of Venus expedition to New Zealand in 187i and 1875, and finding the 

 opportunity limited to the joosition of photographer, he learned the then 

 difficult art and received the appointment. This journey around the 

 world opened to him the great field of physical geography in which he 

 afterward labored continuously. He drifted for five years after his 

 return. Two years as assistant professor of geology at Columbia, a season 

 in New Mexico, a journey to Europe — these completed the first epoch of 

 restless preparation. When I was a student in Columbia he was con- 

 stantly at work among the collections — a slender, silent figure, a typical 

 student, in whom one would not suspect the power of initiative, the 

 capacity for daring and doing, which characterized the man. 



The second epoch covered the years from 1880 to 1885, during which, 

 as geologist of the TJ. S. Geological Surve}^, in association with Gilbert, 

 he studied the Pleistocene history of the Great basin. Here he was in 

 his element — free, face to face with Nature, and in frequent intercourse 

 with one who may be characterized as one of the wisest organizers of 

 American geologic science of any period. While Gilbert interpreted the 

 history of lake Bonneville, Russell developed that of lake Lahontan; the 

 two studies ran parallel and reacted each upon the other. The senior's 

 influence is seen in the character of the Lahontan monograph, which is a 

 systematic, complete, and essentially final work, peculiar among Russell's 

 writings in being thus highly organized and finished; but the acute 

 observations regarding the chemical history of the waters and its bearing 

 on variations of the lake are Russell's independent contribution. 



When in 1885 Gilbert surrendered his promising investigations of the 

 Great basin to undertake the study of the Appalachian province, Russell 

 was also transferred and their association continued. Cogent as the 

 administrative reasons for the transfer were, the change of tasks was 

 unfortunate for the scientists and for science. Gilbert was burdened with 

 executive affairs, and Russell found in the southern Appalachians an 

 uncongenial field. Nevertheless he worked with characteristic activity 

 and completed the investigation of the section assigned him in Gilbert's 

 systematic plan for studying the Appalachians ; but he did not bring the 



