Personal and Scientiflc Neuis. 67 
part of the Ordovician, than one who is writing on the Ordovician would 
have to suggest a new name for some part of the Pleistocene." From 
the above language and a foot- note, I infer that Dr. Sardeson had in 
mind only a use of the term in a table of bed-rock formations in a paper 
published in the August, 1896, number of the American Geologist. 
Without defending the use of the term, the retention or rejection of 
which is a matter of indifference to me, I desire to call Dr. Sardeson's 
attention to the fact that it was first used by me in a paper on "The 
Elk Horn Creek Area of St. Peter Sandstone in Northwestern Illinois," 
which ax)peared in the September, 189i, number of this Journal. The 
paragraph in which it is introduced is as follows: "■The Buff limestoiie. 
This underlies a narrow strip skirting the sandstone on its southern and 
western side. It is moderately thick bedded, buff or light brown dol- 
omite, argillaceous, and nearly free from fossils. Its thickness is about 
20 feet, thinning out to the northeast. It passes, by insensible grad- 
ations upward into the Blue limestone and downward into the St. Peter 
sandstone. Hence its lower portion is very sandy and sometimes shaly. 
Its designation as Buff limestone is deceptive, for under cover it is just 
as frequently blue as the Trenton above it. Perhaps the term Pecaton- 
ica limestone would be more appropriate, as it is best exposed in the 
Pecatonica valley, near the Wisconsin line, and northward." Again 
several pages farther: (e) Deepening of the sea and the formation of the 
Buff or Pecatonica limestone, accompanied by a slight elevation in the 
north-eastern portion of the area, forming a small island." 
If there is anything unscientific in the use of a geographical name as 
an application to a local phase of a formation commonly known as the 
"Buff limestone," whereas in this district it is the thinnest of four dis- 
tinct "buff limestone" formations, is oftener found to be light gray and 
blue-gray than buff in color, and at the time of the preparation of the 
paper quoted from, did not seem to the writer to be capable of demon- 
stration as an exact equivalent of a jjroperly designated portion of the 
sti'atigraphic sei-ies of any other state; I repeat, if this is not in accord- 
ance with the customs of geological students in the Mississippi basin, 
I desire Dr. Sardeson to especially call my attention to it. The name 
was originally intended to be applied chiefly to the limited district then 
under investigation, and even then only until it would become appar- 
ent that some other designation of a proper nature for use in this dis- 
trict, has priority. I think it jjrobable that under this rule, it will final- 
ly have to be known as the "Joachim limestone." 
Freeport, III. O. H. Hershey. 
PERSONAL AND SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 
Dr. Persifor Frazer, at the expressed wish of the late Dr. 
E. D. Cope, has assumed temporarily the managing editorship 
of the American Naturalist. 
