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THE 
AMERICAN. NATURALIST. 
VoL. xu.— DECEMBER, 1878. — No. 12. 
THE EXCURSIONS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 
OF FRANCE FOR 1878. 
BY E D. COPE: X 
j ans Geological Society of France, though well known in the 
United States as a publishing body, is not so well known as 
a school of experts who give practical instruction in their science. 
In their annual excursions they offer opportunities for acquiring 
special knowledge in geology of peculiar value. e present 
season the excursions were arranged in view of the presence of 
numerous foreigners for a limited time in Paris, so as to exhibit 
the geology of the country near to, or within easy reach of the 
capital. There were seven in all, and each one was in charge of 
a competent geological instructor, while the financial department 
was under direction of the indefatigable treasurer of the society, 
Dr. Bioche. A better opportunity of becoming acquainted with 
the standard of classification of the Tertiary formations which 
France furnishes to the world, could scarcely have been pre- 
sented; while the series of beds of the Cretaceous and Upper 
Jurassic formations visited by the excursionists is, in many 
respects, very complete. The explanations on the ground fur- 
nished by the masters of the subject was all that could be desired 
for clearness and pains-taking. The leaders of the excursions 
were Messrs. Hébert, Lapparent, Tournouer, Vélain, etc. Among 
the excursionists we noticed, besides the resident members ; M.M. — 
DeWalck, Rutot and Lefevre, of Belgium; M. Stephanescu of 
Belgrade; M. Renevier, Lausanne; Prof. Guisgardi, Naples ; 
Profs. Almera, Barcelona, and Eulate, Madrid; Fontannes, Lyons; 
Matheron and Saporta, Provence, and many others. 
The first expedition was in the immediate vicinity of the north- 
west part of Paris, to Vanves, Meudon and Bellvue. At the first 
VOL. XIL.—NO XII. 52 
