1872.] 49 [Perry. 
in it may be confirmed; that, if any points chance to be inade- 
quately handled, they may be supplemented; and that, if possible, 
new aspects of the truth may be brought to light. Perhaps it will be 
specially worth while to examine with critical care some of the views 
set forth, that we may learn on what foundation they rest; to ques- 
tion given positions closely, in order to discover just what weight 
should be accorded to them; also to sift particular statements, both 
that we may know how much confidence they deserve, and the way 
be prepared for a better elucidation of many points not yet fairly un- 
folded. In this manner we may hope to secure greater accuracy, and 
to make some substantial advances in knowledge. 
With the desire of gaining a more intimate acquaintance with the 
matters sugvested, I accordingly enter upon an examination of this 
paper. In doing this it is proper to bear testimony to the evidences 
of scholarship and careful inquiry which it exhibits, and to commend 
many points as excellent and well put. With the aim of securing 
most benefit and of working to the greatest advantage, I propose in 
this examination to follow, with requisite modifications, the order of 
the paper, while some well-ascertained facts relating to other parts of 
New England will be given as occasion requires. This course being 
taken, new light is likely to be supplied from various sources to elu- 
cidate, temper and modify what is advanced’ by Prof. Dana, and 
thus by combination, perhaps more depth, breadth and clearness 
will be gained than would be otherwise possible. Having such an 
end in view, I proceed to notice 
I. THE GLACIAL REGION. 
This, so far as the paper under consideration deals prominently 
with topography, is New Haven and its environs. It is also by im- 
plication the whole of New England. The author aims to show “‘by 
special facts, and by the course of events, that the region [about 
New Haven] in the glacial era, like that of New England to the 
north, was moulded at surface largely by the action of the Connecti- 
cut Valley glacier and its underflowing streams, and covered, through 
the subsequent melting of the ice, with stratified and unstratified 
drift formations simultaneously.”! In various passages of the paper 
the writer distinctly indicates that, in his opinion, all the northern ° 
portions of the continent were thus overspread by an immense sheet 
1 See title page of the pamphlet. 
PROCEEDINGS B.S.N. H.—VOL. XV. 4 AUGUST, 1872. 
