1870.] 



SENATE— No. 170. 



85 



with advantage. The collection being arranged according to 

 the method indicated, it becomes easy, not only to turn to a 

 given group, but also on a moment's notice, to lay one's hand 

 on any species or particular fossil in the group. Such an 

 arrangement accordingly renders the consultation of the collec- 

 tion a pleasure rather than a task ; it prepares the way for 

 further and more critical work ; thus it invites and lures on to 

 original investigation. 



A few words should be next devoted to matters outside of 

 the systematic arrangement of fossils. 



In the first place, lectures have been delivered. The course 

 on the Geology of Vermont, which was already begun at the 

 time of the preparation of the last Report, was duly completed 

 during the early portion of the year. Another course, on the 

 Geological History of the Primordial Era, is now in progress. 

 It was commenced in October last ; it is to be completed during 

 the spring term. The aim of this course of instruction is the 

 detailed account of all that is up to this time known, at once of 

 the oldest sedimentary rocks, and of their included organic 

 forms, which stand as monuments of the earliest well-accredited 

 life of the globe. 



Again, material has been prepared for exchanges. As the 

 systematic arrangement of fossils has gone on, spare specimens, 

 not needed in the Museum collections, have been gradually 

 eliminated and placed by themselves. These specimens have 

 been carefully cleaned, examined and determined ; or, if there 

 had been a previous determination of the name, it has been 

 duly verified and authenticated. As thus worked up, these 

 specimens have been properly labelled and are in readiness for 

 collateral uses. As must be evident, the amount of such sur- 

 plus material is in a way to be steadily and greatly increased, 

 in proportion as the work of classification goes on. There are 

 accordingly now on hand and in readiness, or are likely to be 

 in due time, specimens in large numbers, as well for exchanges 

 as for distribution, upon proper conditions, among the various 

 institutions of learning, not only in this Commonwealth but 

 throughout the country. These specimens, as serving to char- 

 acterize the several different stages of geologic history, must 

 be of great benefit in giving broader, more definite and better 



