1887] Instruction in Geological Investigation. 821 
_ “cutting” something else. The summer vacation may be utilized, 
but the student is not often well enough prepared to walk alone 
_ amidst the complication of problems that he meets, The sum- 
mer school is a valued factor here, but this is a rather heavy tax 
_ onthe instructor. We make the best of it in one way or another, 
_ and have succeeded in accomplishing some fairly good work ; but 
-in contemplating our moderate successes, and comparing them 
4 with the more finished products of the biological, chemical, and 
_ Physical laboratories, we have occasion to lament the unwieldy 
character of geological problems. The biologist may cultivate his 
specimens in a jar, slice them nicely in his microtome, and exam- 
ine them with his microscope, all comfortably arranged at a con- 
venient table in a good light. Winter and summer, good weather 
and bad, his work of actual and original observation may go on. 
The geologist has no such good fortune. He must go out of 
town to his work, spending valuable time on the way there and 
k. In our present almost mapless condition he has to play 
topographer to the distraction of his attention, and his problems 
seldom, if ever, can have the conciseness or the singleness that 
_ May characterize work on animals and plants, and which is so de- 
: ‘Sirable for the sake of the student. It is difficult to assign sub- 
_ #ects or fields that allow of tolerably complete consideration by a 
_ Student in the fall and spring half-years. The course in field- 
_ Work cannot therefore be described with the definiteness given 
to the more elementary teaching. I can do little more than 
_ Fecount its objects, 
: e€ prime object of this advanced work is to teach the 
Ora not only to see for himself, but to see for himself when 
H alone, In the first field course, where the instructor 
yi Saccompanies the class, he may direct or suggest a profit- 
Itis - of work, and hedge the party in from useless searching. 
Pia. Re different when the student goes out most of the time 
: SNe “e instructor accompanying him only on preliminary and 
= the onal later trips. It may be counted a good year’s work if 
© Student learn in that time to make an accurate, tolerably 
hess $ and original report, written and graphic, on two areas: 
Serious = him. The want of good topographic base-maps Is a 
bstacle here; for the present we have to get along as 
may be with small-scale road-maps, on which the relief 
STound has practically no representation. The topo- 
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