2 The American Geologist. Jan. 1891 
many grave and difficult surgical operations with notable success ; 
he was also considered* the most reliable medical practitioner in 
the county. After being appointed professor of chemistry at the 
Albany Medical college in 1838, he continued his connection with 
that institute until 1852, when he resigned his professorship of 
chemistry in favor of Dr. Lewis Beck (the mineralogist of the 
geological survey of New York), and assumed the professorship of 
obstetrics, in which branch of medical instruction he was eminent. 
But his chief interest was in geology, and as far back as 1824, 
he is mentioned by professor C. Dewey as his assistant for the 
construction and description of ' 'A Geological map of the County 
of Berkshire, and of a small part of the adjoining states," the first 
truly geological attempt to systematize and classify with details 
the rocks of the Taconic area. 
From his graduation at Williams college in 1820, Emmons con- 
stantly explored the hills of Berkshire, making always geological 
observations in his constant rambling over the county, as a coun- 
try medical practitioner, and using his opportunities in Williams 
college as lecturer and professor, to survey minutely every part of 
the area of Berkshire. As early as 1828, he was lecturer on 
chemistry at that institution, and in 1833 he was appointed pro- 
fessor of natural history as successor of his teacher, professor 
C. Dewey. I should say, in order not to break his record at 
Williams college, that in 1854, his professorship was called chair 
of natural histoiy and geology, and after 1859 until his death in 
1863, he held the title of professor of geology and mineralogy. 
To Emmons is due mainly all the collections in natural history of 
that celebrated institution of learning. 
His appointment as geologist of the " Second District " of the 
geological survey of the state of New York, in July, 1836, gave 
the opportunity for the exercise of his power of acute observa- 
tion in the field, and as a classifier of geological data, which made 
his great and just reputation. The state of New York was divided 
into districts, and the following geologists were appointed : Wil- 
liam W. Mather for the first district, professor E. Emmons for 
the second, T. A. Conrad for the third and Lardner Vanuxem for 
the fourth. These appointments of governor W. L. Marcy were 
excellent. Emmons, Conrad and Vanuxem were all three very 
remarkable observers and classificators of the first order. 
Vanuxem was the first foreign- student admitted without exami- 
