io8 Tlic America)} Geologist. Aupiist. i89^ 
of the glaciated northern part of our continent, of the Arctic 
archipelago, and of Greenland, having a maximum depth of 
more than 3,000 feet in the Franz Josef fjord of eastern Green- 
land, agree with the Norwegian fjords in pointing to epeiro- 
frenic causes of the Ice aore and of its sudden end. 
REMARKS ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF 
THE MISSISSIPPIAN SERIES. 
By Chaeles R. Keyes, Des Moines, Iowa. 
When, a few months ago, occasion was taken in this jour- 
nal to give some of the reasons why the name Augusta, as a 
title for one of the subdivisions of the Mississippian series, had 
been used in the reports of the Iowa and the Missouri geologi- 
cal surveys, it was not anticipated that the subject would have 
to be again referred to so soon. However, Mr. Weller, in re- 
cent issues of both this magazine and the Journal of Geology, 
takes exception to the facts presented. He would have us be- 
lieve that grievous errors had been made in adopting any other 
title than Osage, and in not following the classification of the 
Mississippian rocks proposed by his former instructor in geol- 
ogy. It is unnecessary to reiterate the facts already given.* It 
does, however, seem desirable to call attention briefly to some 
other phases of the subject, that should have been, perhaps, 
included in the former article. Significantly enough Air. Wel- 
ler makes not the slightest allusion to them. 
As to whether Augusta or Osage should be the title re- 
tained for one of the members of the Mississippian series is a 
matter of small consequence. One name is as good as another 
for a formation, provided it has some significance and it ac- 
cords with the laws of usage in the science in which it occurs. 
So far as the two names mentioned are concerned Osage is, 
I think, much the prettier. Under ordinary circumstances it 
would be, according to my own ideas, preferable. It is, indeed 
unfortunate that there should exist conditions in science com- 
l)elling us to become familiar with names for which we have no 
liking. 
In his last paper, arguing for the adoption of Osage in place 
of Augusta, Mr. Weller, as a lawyer, has no doubt entered the 
*This journal, vol. XXI, p. 228, i8g8. 
