James Hall, LL. D. — Hovey. 147 
Besides the reeular traveling there were the explorations 
of the peculiar Russian formations, some of which are truly 
geological puzzles; the visiting of quarries, mines, foundries, 
factories and museums, in all of which our octogenarian mani- 
fested as lively an interest as most of his younger comrades. 
Almost the only tasks he excused himself from were those of 
mountaineering, and of descending deep mines. It was marvel- 
lous to see the vigor of that man who had spanned already 
more that fourscore years of an extraordinarily busy and 
laborious life! 
Hall's lasting memorial is in what he did for Xew York, 
and through Xew York for North America. For ages to come 
his name will be associated with our stratigraphy so that the 
latter cannot be historically described without the former be- 
ing mentioned. Encircling the vast region lying east of the 
Rocky mountains are those massive rocks first identified, ac- 
curately described, and intelligently named during the New 
York survey, and appropriately bearing for all time typical 
names originally belonging to mountains, rivers, lakes or cities 
of the Empire State. 
For one of the accompanying photographs of professor 
Hall we are indebted to the courtesy of the Scientific American 
and the other, taken by my son, Dr. E. O. Hovey, at 
Uralskaia, Government of Perm, August 21st, 1897, is prob- 
ably the last ever taken of him. The signature, is from one 
of his latest letters, dated May 25th, 1898. 
The writer is aware that he has by no means exhausted 
his theme: nor did he undertake to do more than what was 
editorially suggested, namely, to "give a sketch of the life and 
work of James Hall." How impossible to compress within the 
limits of a magazine article, the traits, characteristics, successes 
and occasional failures, of one whose opportunities for research 
were such as perhaps no other ever enjoyed, whose longevity 
and vitality were most remarkable, whose assistants numbered 
some of the most highly trained and ambitious geologists and 
paleontologists this country has yet produced, and whose re- 
sources, unwearied energy, flexible adaptability, and executive 
wisdom were rarely rivalled and never perhaps excelled. 
The appendices, giving his bibliography, and the list of his 
titular honors, will afiford the reader a bird's eve view of what 
