Correspondence. 199 
in the Delaware valley. After a few notes by Messrs. Knapp and Kum- 
mell, Prof. Putnam reviewed the work of the past 20 years l)y Dr. Ab 
bott and othei'S and the various views that have been held regarding its 
results. In order to attempt a decision on some of these points several 
geologists met at Trenton in June last to make a careful examination of 
the ground. Prof. G. F.Wright stated that the results obtained did not 
materially differ from those previously oljtained. They were therefore 
claimed in part by both sides of the controversy. The ground is a farm 
belonging to the Misses Lalor, who have become much interested in 
the investigation and have allowed the archaeologists to dig it over at 
their own will and excluded all others. Much discussion took place on 
the mode of deposit of the sands overlying the true and undisputed gla- 
cial gravel, some maintaining an ajolian and others an aqueous origin. 
Prof. Holmes followed and dwelt strongly on the results which attend- 
ed his own search of the material thrown out of a trench, in which as 
lie'has already stated in print, he was unable to find any trace of man. 
He urged the disturbances to which the ground had been subjected and 
maintained that it had extended to a much greater depth than was gen- 
erally allowed and in consequence of this he considered the implements 
as intrusive. 
A short paper by H. C. Mercer was then read, giving an account of 
some trenches which he had recently dug, but which again contributed 
nothing of noveltry or importance. The same may be said of the note 
contributed by Thos. Wilson, while Prof. Salisbury took strong views 
against the glacial date of the sand beds overlying the undurated gla- 
cial gravels of the valley. Prof. Salisbury's views on the subject are 
well known and he asserted that nothing had occurred to change them. 
He detailed at some length the geology of the valley and stated his be- 
lief that the date of the sands in question was indeterminate. An act- 
ive but entirely friendly discussion followed, in which Prof. Penck of 
Vienna, Profs. Chamberlin, Wright. Putnam, Claypole, and others took 
part. Prof. Putnam stated in addition to his former remarks that a 
human skull had been found in the excavation for a new gas meter at 
Trenton at a depth of 13 feet but had not yet been examined carefully. 
The discussion was animated and long, the session continuing until 
nearly 6 o'clock. 
The Toronto meeting of the British Association for the Advancement 
of Science opened on Wednesday, August 18 and continued during the 
whole week. The yjresident of the year is Sir John Evans and the sec- 
tion of geology was presided over by Dr. Geo. M. Dawson. The section 
met in one of the many buildings scattered over th« spacious grounds 
of the University of Toronto. The main Ijuildiug which has risen from 
the ashes of that in which the American Association met a few years 
ago and which was unfortunately burnt down soon afterward, is a hand- 
some stone structure about .300 feet in length in front and forming three 
sides of a triangle. Here were housed the general officers of the Associ- 
ation and some of the sections. 
