1887.] 347 [Marcou. 



are ready to recognize the part taken by American geologists. At 

 the meeting of the International Geological Congress at Berlin, 

 the Secretary of the Commission on the uniformity of nomencla- 

 ture, Prof. G. Dewalque, made a report in which he says : "M. 

 Jules Marcou, in an important work published by the American 

 Academy of Science and Arts, and entitled "The Taconic System 

 and its Position in Stratigraphic Geology," has vindicated the pri- 

 ority of the term Taconic of which the Cambrian above mentioned 

 (or Primordial fauna) would be the equivalent. To us the question 

 seems to be demonstrated. In such a case the term Cambrian 

 should be employed to replace the Ordovician, the name Silurian 

 should come back by right to group 6. If we be not in error, this 

 solution would avoid many difficulties. We propose, then, to the 

 Congress to determine first, the names that the groups 4, 5 and 6 

 should bear. It will afterwards have to decide whether they con- 

 stitute one or two systems ; and, finally, the name or names to be 

 employed." 



"Dr. A. Geikie proposed that the Congress postpone the sub- 

 ject of subdividing the Cambrian and Silurian until the meeting 

 in England ; on the ground that the Silurian question was mainly 

 an English question. (Loud murmurs.) Professor Hughes agreed 

 with Dr. Geikie as to the propriety of postponing the discussion 

 of these questions, and said that Professor Hall had also expressed 

 his approval of this course." 



"The chairman, Dr. von Dechen, put the question to divide the 

 Silurian, but leave the names till the meeting in England. Pro- 

 fessor Capellini regretted such action, if it would postpone the 

 completion of the European map. M. Hauchecorne said it would 

 not. as the map would be completed without waiting for the deter- 

 mination of the names." 



"The motion was then put and carried." (See "The work of the 

 International Congress of Geologists and its committees," published 

 under the direction of Persifor Frazer, page 24 and also pages 57 

 and 58, 1886, no place of publication.) 



From this quotation it seems that two English geologists, Mr. 

 A. Geikie representing the Murchisonians and Mr. T. McKenny 

 Hughes representing the Sedgwickians, backed by an American 

 geologist, Mr. James Hall, representing "the united opposition of 

 Dr. Emmons' contemporaries," succeeded in preventing the Berlin's 

 International Geological Congress from voting and rendering justice 



