Biographical Notice of Ebent zer Emmons. — Marcou. 5 
conic," by J. Marcou. Proceed, Boston Soc. X. II.. vol. xxiii. 
March 2, 1887). 
The volume issued in 1S42. at Albany, of the "Geology of 
New York, Part II, comprising the survey of the Second Geologi- 
cal District," by Dr. Ebenezer Emmons, gave an excellent de- 
scription of all the strata from the Potsdam sandstone to the ter- 
mination of the Lorraine shales in a grey sandstone called Oneida 
conglomerate and sandstone. In this volume we have what we 
can call the germ of the " laconic system, " below the --New York 
Transition system." at chapters vu, vm and ix. pp. 135-164. 
With the greatest honesty, "which always characterized the scien- 
tific researches of Dr. Emmons, and with great courtesy, he made 
apology for stepping over the bounds of the second district and 
encroaching on the first district. Emmons says that : ' ' He does 
not expect to be able to give full justice to the subject." only 
claiming '•' the merits, to a certain extent, of removing some of 
the obscurities which envelope this system of rocks." ....-' They 
form a belt whose width is not far from fifteen miles along the 
whole western border (of the county of Berkshire. Mass. ), and 
which extends clearly to the western base of the 'laconic range." 
At the end of the volume, p. 42! >. we have the most important 
and very well balanced classification of the palaeozoic rocks in 
New York, which shows how Emmons was able to grasp all the 
difficulties — and they wen- numerous, and some very great — of the 
division, classification and nomenclature of the palaeozoic rocks of 
North America. 
TABULAE VIEW OF THE SEDIMENTARY ROCKS OF NEW 
YORK. 
Taconic System. .. .Taconic slate Magnesias slate. Stockbridge lime- 
stone, Granular Quartz. 
Potsdam sandstone, Calciferous sand rock. 
| Chazy and Birdseye limestone, Marble of 
Champlain Group. Isle La Motte, Trenton limestone. I'tica 
slate, Loraihe shales, grey sandstone, con- 
I glomerate. 
Medina sandstone, Green shales and Oolitic 
Ontario GronD iin " ""'" ^' i:i - ara limestone, Red shale, Onon- 
i daga salt and plaster rock-. Manlius water- 
lime. 
Pentamerus limestone. Delthyris shaly lime- 
Helderbere Series s, " m '- Oriskany sandstone, Encrinal lime- 
y. 
stone. Caudagalli grit, Schoharie grit, Hel- 
derberg limestone. 
\ Marcellus and Hamilton shales. Tully lime- 
Erie Group. • stone. Genesee slate, [thaca and Chemung 
' -hales anil grits. 
