REPORT OF THE STATE PALEONTOLOGIST 1901 453 



various individuals who have noted them in different parts of 

 our country. Such a meeting has been suggested by Prof. 

 Hitchcock, and to me it seems desirable. It would undoubtedly 

 be an advantage not only to science but to the several surveys 

 that are now in progress and that may in future be organized. 

 It would tend to make known our scientific men to each other 

 personally, give them more confidence in each other and cause 

 them to concentrate their observations on those questions that 

 are of interest either in a scientific or economical point of view. 

 More questions may be satisfactorily settled in a day by oral 

 discussion in such a body than in a year by writing and publica- 

 tion." (Letter from W. W. Mather to the geological board of 

 New York, dated Nov. 9, 1838, and addressed to Prof. Emmons) 



It appears herein that the suggestion of this meeting was 

 •originally made by Pres. Edward Hitchcock of Massachusetts, 

 who was the first to receive the appointment as geologist of the 

 first district of New York from Gov. Marcy. Pres. Hitchcock 

 has said in regard to the suggestion made by Lieut. Mather: 

 ■"As to the credit he has here given me of having previously 

 suggested the subject, I can only say that I had been in the 

 habit for several years of making this meeting of scientific men 

 a sort of hobby in my correspondence with such." 1 



Lieut. Mather's letter to the board of geologists was taken 

 up for consideration at a meeting held Nov. 20, 1838, at the 

 house of Dr Ebenezer Emmons, corner of High st. and Hudson 

 av., Albany. 2 



The action taken by the geologists was one of unanimous 

 approval of the proposition, and Lardner Vanuxem of the third 

 district was commissioned to open communication with other 

 geologists, specially with Pres. Hitchcock, with reference to 

 carrying this project into effect. The undertaking was not 

 immediately successful, and at a meeting held in the autumn of 

 1839 the purpose of the geological board was reiterated. This 

 meeting was also held at Dr Emmons's house, the four geolo- 

 gists and the paleontologist being present, and also Ebenezer 

 Emmons jr, who still survives. As a result of the second under- 

 taking on the part of the New York geologists, a meeting was 

 called in Philadelphia for April 1840, where and when the 

 organization of the Association of American geologists was 

 effected. The following year the association again met in Phila- 

 delphia, when the membership of the body was largely increased, 



Address of Pres. Edward Hitchcock at the inauguration of Geological 

 hall at Albany, Aug. 27, 1856. N. Y. state cabinet of natural history. 10th 

 an. rep't. 1857. p. 23. 



2 See documents hereto appended, being A, a statement dictated by Prof. 

 James Hall, Aug. 24, 18°6, and B, a statement dictated by Ebenezer 

 Emmons jr February 1900. 



