142 
Transactions Texas Academy oe Science. 
Hill, Egbert T. 
“The scarcity of knoiwledge concerning the details of geological structure 
in the vast area embraced within the political bounds of the Sitate of 
Texas' is proverbial, and so inextricably is the little knowledge that we 
■possess involved in controversy that any light upon the subject, however 
feeble, is always welcome at this time. The appearance at this late day 
of a volume giving the detail of scientific exploration that took place over 
twenty-five years ago in that regiou has a double value. In the first 
place it indicates a revival of interest in geological investigation by a 
(State government in which a once strong desire to make known its re- 
isourees in a scientific manner was almost entirely killed by the wrangling 
among themselves of the scientific men employed to icarry out its inten- 
tions. The knowledge of large regions of hitherto unpublished territory 
whidh it brings to us is specially welcome.” 
An account of the brothers, Benjamin E. and George G. Shumard, fol- 
lows, and their erroneous conception of the Texas 'Cretaceous is pointed 
<xut. 
197. 
The Topography and. Greology of the ■Cro&S' Timbers and Sur- 
rounding Eegions in North Texas, with a map, pi. vi. 
lAmer. Jour, of 'Science, HI, Yol. XXXIII, pp. 291-303. New 
Haven, Apr., 1887. 
Contents: The Upper Cross Timbers. The Lower Cross Timbers. 
Prevalent Theories as to the Cross Timbers. Topographic and Geologic 
/Characteristics : The Coast Plain, the “Black Prairie Begion,” The Central 
Denuded or Hilly Region, the Plateau or Panhandle Region, the Moun- 
tainous or Trans-Pecos Region^ Geologic /Section of the Cretaceous Strata 
of the IState of Texas, as seen along the line of the Texas Pacific Railroad, 
from Elmo, Kaufman county, to Millsap, Parker county, and, with local 
variations of thickness, as it occurs throughout the State. Based upon 
personal observations. 
“The Cross Timbers of Texas are two long and narrow strips of forest 
region between the 96th and 99th meridians, extending parallel to each other 
from the (Indian Territory southward to the central portion of the State, 
forming a marked exception to the usual prairie features of that country. 
They have been deliniated upon several maps, but most accurately upon 
the one accompanying the ‘(Report on the Cotton Production of the State 
of Texas, with a Discussion of the Agricultural -Features of the .State,’ by 
R. ;H. Loughridge, Ph. D., Special Agent of the Tenth Census, which has 
been adopted in .the map illustrating the areal distribution of the geologic 
formations of the United /States, published in Vol. V, of the Annual 
Reports of the Director of the U. S. Geological Survey. 
“The traveler, in crossing this region of Texas from east to west, along 
the line of .the Texas and Pacific railroad, views the Cross Timbers merely 
as a grateful relief to the monotony of the prairies, and sees little in 
them worth remenibering. To the more careful observer, however, there 
.are numerous points of interest bearing on their topographic and geologic 
rel'ations, some of which are worthy of presentation. 
