O8 The Americun Geologist. January, 1892 
geologists of the United States have been associated with it. As 
a final outcome of all this stratigraphic work in such an inviting 
field, the conclusion has been at last announced by Professor 
Shaler, within the last two years, that these clays are of Tertiary 
age (Miocene or Pliocene). Almost simultaneously with this 
authoritative announcement, a young paleobotanist, Mr. David 
White, of the United States Geological Survey, visited this 
spot and spent a summer in obtaining a collection of fossil plants. 
A few fragments had hitherto been found, and one or two of 
them had been figured in the works of Dr. Hitchcock. But such 
limited material was of no value. The specimens were obscure, 
and nothing could be concluded from them. Mr. White made 
a large collection of fine specimens of fossil plants. They were 
shipped to Washington, and he has determined them. They are 
found to be nothing more nor less than types of the Amboy clays 
of New. Jersey, and therefore represent the Cretaceous. 
This discovery has a wider significance than the mere proof that 
the plant bearing strata at least, of Gay Head are Cretaceous; it 
also proves that the Amboy clays of New Jersey, after passing 
eastward and reappearing on Long Island stretch still farther in 
that direction, and probably underlie most of the glacial deposits 
of Block Island, the Elizabeth Islands, Martha’s Vineyard, and 
Nantucket. Thus has paleobotany, legitimately employed, set at 
rest a question which stratigraphical geology could probably never 
have answered. Many other illustrations of this principle might 
be given, but this one will suffice for all. 
There is one other principle to be considered, the ignoring of 
which has long been a stumbling block to geology, and to paleo- 
botany as well. It is indeed impossible to overestimate the im- 
portance of the correct systematic determination of fossil plants. 
The doubts which exist with regard to the true nature of many of 
the vegetable objects found in the earth’s strata, have led to great 
skepticism on the part of many with regard to the value of paleo- 
botany asa science. Botanists in particular, who have had some- 
thing to do with paleobotany, are as a rule much disappointed. 
Accustomed as they are to having before them the entire structure 
of the plant, all its parts and organs, not only of vegetation, but 
of reproduction, they have little patience with such fragmentary 
material as constitutes the bulk of most collections of fossil 
