Personal and Scientific News. 329 
Neutaconkanut's Great Boulder. — This was described 
bv Dr. C. T. Jackson in his report on the Geological and Agri- 
cultural survey of Rhode Island in 1840. It is in Johnson, near 
Providence. It is shown in a halftone cut in the Providence 
Journal of March 24. The boulder still rests where it did in 
1840 and for centuries previous. The traveler in passing 
still takes a second look to see if it is really about to topple over 
and roll down the hill into the highway. It is a striking fea- 
ture of the landscape, and will ever remain as an object lesson 
to the geologist, and a topic of interest to the casual observer. 
Following is Dr. Jackson's description : "The rocks on 
Neutaconkanut Hill are alternate strata of micaceous and 
hornblende slate, the former being very much contorted. On 
the south side of the hill there may be seen a huge boulder of 
hornblende rock poised upon the mica slate. This rock must 
have originated elsewhere, and it now rests in an accidental po- 
sition, as will be evident to anyone who examines the situation 
in which it is placed. Since hornblende rocks do occur at the 
northward, and not to the southward of the place where this 
block is now found, we feel confident that this immense rock has 
been removed southwardly from its parent ledge and deposited 
on the rocky strata where we now find it." 
Field Work Methods in Geology at Harvard. — The el- 
ementary laboratory and field course at Harvard this year has 
enrolled about 190 men. The class is divided into three sec- 
tions and each section into three companies for field work. 
The following memorandum has been issued to each student 
as a reminder of what he may expect to find in the field ex- 
cursions. The assistants in charge of each company follow up 
this outline with questions and remarks called out by the par- 
ticular locality. The students' results are handed in at the close 
in the form of a brief report with maps and sections. 
Geology 5. Field Season of igoi. Brief Synopsis of Queries An- 
szverablc by Personal Observation. — -Ask yourself on arriving at a 
locality selected for study whether it is an area of erosion or deposi- 
tion. If an area of erosion, — wliat agent or agents are now at work 
or have been at work in the immediate past? Waves, currents, rivers; 
winds; ice or glaciers; life; weathering, disintegration, decomposition? 
What land forms have resulted from erosion? What new deposits 
have been made ? 
If an area of deenmfositioii. — what materials are acctmudating ' 
What is their form? What is their structure? 
In the case of a rock in situ, — what kind of rock is it? If — (a) an 
igneous rock, — What is its form? Batholith, laccolith, dike,- sill, lava- 
flow, volcanic neck? What is the country rock? Where are the con- 
tacts? Is it intrusive? What is tlie mincralogical composition of the 
reck? What is the structure of the rock? Crystalline, porphyritic, 
