1889.] 
357 
[Marcou. 
dislocate his fingers. A certain amount of contortion can proba- 
bly be taught to young children by practice, but for eminence cer- 
tain natural gifts are requisite. 
Professor Dwight’s paper was illustrated with the stereopticon. 
The Secretary then read a communication fiom Prof. G. Fred- 
erick Wright in relation to the Nampa Image found in borings in 
Nampa, Idaho. He also read letters from Mr. Charles Francis 
Adams, Mr. M. A. Kurtz and Prof. S. F. Emmons in relation to 
the discovery of the image, and the geology of the formation from 
which it was taken. This evidence will be published in the pro- 
ceedings of a subsequent meeting. Remarks on the antiquity of 
the image were made by Professors Putnam and Haynes, Messrs. 
Warren Upliam and S. H. Scudder. 
The following paper was read by title : 
« 
REPLY TO THE QUESTIONS OF MR. SELWYN ON 
“ CANADIAN GEOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION 
FOR QUEBEC.” 
BY JULES MARCOU. 
Mr. Alfred R. C. Selwyn, Director of the Geological Survey of 
Canada, in a paper lately published in these Proceedings, Vol. 
xxiv, p. 216, July, 1889, says: “It becomes quite evident that 
his [Mr. Marcou’s] statements are simply expressions of his indi- 
vidual opinion and certainly have ‘ no basis of fact’ to support 
them.” “There are, however, one or two pertinent questions to 
which I think Mr. Marcou might be asked for a reply.” He then 
enumerates several questions numbered 1 to 7 and half a dozen 
others not numbered, although comprised in what he calls “ one or 
two pertinent questions.” 
Here is my reply to his questions : 
First question: “ Does he think Emmons, Logan and myself and 
many other geologists, who agree with us, do not know gneiss from 
quartzite? A simple yes or no to this would suffice.” 
Reply : Yes. 1 Does Mr. Selwyn think Dr. Charles T. Jackson, 
1 Emmons wrote the article: “Geology of Montmorenci” (Amer . Magazine, Nov., 
1841 ; reprinted in Amer. Geologist , Aug., 1888) after a short and hasty visit, which was 
never repeated. From my knowledge of Dr. Emmons, I have no doubt that he would 
have corrected his error; for no one was more ready than he, to accept a correction. 
But with Logan and Mr. Selwyn, it is very different. After the publication of my joint 
