IO NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



II 



REPORT OF THE STATE GEOLOGIST AND PALEON- 

 TOLOGIST 



The duties of this official naturally divide themselves primarily 

 into -field work and office work but these are so intimately bound 

 together that this form of presentation, followed in some previous 

 reports, is here abandoned for a more rational method of treatment. 



GEOLOGY 

 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



Areal geology 



The plotting of the areal geology of the State on the topographic 

 base map progresses as rapidly as circumstances permit and the 

 continuity of this work constitutes in itself a geological survey. 

 The progress made can, however, under no circumstances be com- 

 mensurate with the rapid increase in the area covered by the topo- 

 graphic surveyors. The present state of our geologic knowledge 

 of New York calls for and justifies only the most refined deter- 

 minations, and the perfection of one quadrangle is often and 

 usually an entire season's work for a single expert, though a corps 

 of topographic surveyors in this time may easily cover many 

 such areas. 



During the past season work has been carried to completion on 

 the Buffalo, Rochester and Penn Yan-Hammondsport quadrangles 

 and these are now in process of publication, the last named as a 

 double north and south sheet. In addition thereto the field work 

 has been practically completed on the following quadrangles: Ovid, 

 Genoa, Morrisville and Long Lake. The maps and explan- 

 atory matter to accompany these will be prepared during the 

 course of the ensuing winter. Further, work has begun, though 

 not yet brought to completion on the Syracuse, Theresa, Plattsburg, 

 Tarry town and Stamford quadrangles. 



The areas mentioned cover various parts of the State and various 

 portions of the New York geologic section from the base upward, 

 and several of them involve serious problems which may delay 

 the final execution of some of the maps. Some of these areas 

 with their attendant problems are here noted in more detail. As 

 a whole, however, the work has gone forward efficiently and without 



