THE 
AMERICAN GEOLOGIST 
Vol. IV. SEPTEMBER, 1889. No. 3 
DOUGLASS HOUGHTON. 
By Alexander Wincuell. 
Tlie fourth decade of the present century produced a body 
of geologic investigators wliope brilliant achievements consti- 
tute them a galaxy in the firmament of American science. 
The preceding decade had given birth to Eaton and Dewey and 
Green, and the lustre of Maclurc's name had not yet faded. 
To a large extent, their example and teaching were the con- 
ditions of the advent of the great workers of the fourth decade 
— Edward Hitchcock, p]bcnezer Emmons, Henry D. and W. 
B. Rogers, William W. Mather, Lardner Vanuxem, James Hall 
and Douglass Houghton — workers whose labors illuminated 
still more brilliantly the fifth decade, and one of whom still 
lingers to set an example of fidelity to a host of younger com- 
peers and aspirants in this ninth decade of the century. Of 
the distinguished workers of the fourth and fifth decades 
Douglass Houghton was youngest. His fellow-laborers indeed, 
considered him young — too young, almost, for the asjnrations 
which animated him, and the independence which character- 
ized his judgments. He was still young when his brilliant 
career was cut short — not too young to have left an impression 
on the science of the country, and to have determined a bias 
in the intlustries of his adopted State. 
