14 The American Geologist. January, 1903. 
called ''Unfossiliferous Quebec Group" seemed a revelation to 
practical geologists and gave the key to the solution of at least 
one important side of the controversy, and he thus materially 
contributed to the advancement of our knowledge of that intri- 
cate field by separating the volcanic belts ; and recognized the 
anticline structure which they exhibit in contradistinction to 
the synclinal which the ranges were for many years supposed 
to present. 
Like his predecessor in office Dr. Selwyn was always a 
strong supporter of the Geological Survey Museum not only 
as an important factor in the interests of the covmtry, but also 
as an educator. The wisdom of moving from Montreal to 
Ottawa during his term of office was very soon demonstrated 
in the numbers who registered and came to it from day to day. 
The inadequacy of the building and its total unfitness not only 
for geological work pertaining to the department, but also for 
exhibition purposes, were time and again emphasized by him 
and it is no doubt owing to his determination and energy in the 
direction of preparing plans for a national museum that prac- 
tical steps have been taken towards the erection of a building 
worthy of the country. 
In 1884 a committee of the House of Commons was ap- 
pointed to investigate the work of the Geological Survey of 
Canada. The evidence of personal animus displayed by Sel- 
wvn's antagonists in the process of the investigation con- 
trasted with the excellent work that was being done by the 
Geological Survey in past years and at the time of the investi- 
gation led the government to further strengthen the hands 
of the director and recommended the establishment of a divis- 
ion of mines and mineral statistics, much in the lines laid down 
by Dr. Selwyn himself in 1870, but which for reasons not stat- 
ed had not been effectively carried out as expected. 
Seki'yii inlet in the Queen Charlotte islands. 
Seki'yn. Jake, Carr River, Ontario. 
Sehvyn river, Cranberry River, British Columbia, which 
enters the Fraser river below Tete Jaune cache, are names of 
places called after the subject of this sketch and serve to per- 
])etuate his name in the geography of the country where his 
activities kept him for a quarter of a century. 
