Correspondence. 267 
include strata described by Selwyn in 1872 as Upper and Lower Cache 
Creek beds. 
In 1842-46 Emmons, Vanuxem, and Mather employed the term Erie 
division as a subdivision of the New York system. In the Ohio Geolog- 
ical Survey reports, the Erie clay was used as a subdivision of the Pleis- 
tocene, and Erie shale was referred both to the Carboniferous and De- 
vonian. In 1875 Lesley described, in a report of the Pennsylvania Geo- 
logical Survey, the Erie shale, which he referred to the Silurian. In 
i8g8 Haworth described the Erie limestone of the Coal Measures of 
Kansas. The above references are given merely to illustrate the confu- 
sion that is likely to arise from the use of new geographic terms, if the 
literature is not carefully examined for previous use. 
For the past eighteen months the writer has been engaged in pre- 
paring a card catalogue of geologic formation names, during such time 
as could be taken from other office and field work. This catalogue has 
already assumed considerable proportions, and is now being consulted 
by those geologists who are aware that such a work is being prosecuted. 
While preparing the annual bibliography of geological literature for 
1898 the writer has found several instances of duplication of names that 
have become well established in geologic nomenclature. It will proba- 
bly be a year or more before this catalogue can be published, and, in the 
meantime, to assist in avoiding such duplic itif)n, the writer offers to fur- 
nish geologists, who will correspond with him, such information as he 
possesses, regarding the names which they propDse to use as formation 
names. 
U. S. Geological Survey, F. B. Weeks. 
lVashi)igton, D. C. 
The Truth about the Nampa Figurine.— In your issue 
for February (on p. 99) there are some personal references which are 
not only false in fact, but are in such violation of the ordinary courtesies 
of life, that they cannot be allowed to pass unnoticed. They occur in 
a report of the last meeting of the Geological Society of America, 
signed by Mr. E. O. Hovey. But I am informed by Mr. Hovey that 
the portion of the report referred to was prepared for him by Mr. W 
J McGee, who must, therefore, bear the responsibility for the form 
it has taken. In the account of the discussion concerning the Cala- 
veras skull and other alleged prehistoric remains of the Pacific coast, 
occurs the following passage: "Major Powell noted the untrust- 
worthy character of the testimony of unscientific men as to associa- 
tions, instancing the Nampa figurine, alleged to have been found under 
the Tertiary lava -sheet in Idaho, which a well-operator sought to 
palm off on him as a genuine discovery, and which was afterward ac- 
tually foisted on a credulous collector, and published as evidence of 
high human antiquity." 
As thus reported, there is no mistaking the reference. It is to the 
figurine brought to my notice in 1889 by Mr. Charles Francis Adams, 
the evidence concerning which was collected by me, at his request, 
and published in the Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural 
