THE 
AMERICAN GEOLOGIST 
Vol. XVIII. DECEMBER, 1896. No. 6 
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 
OF FIELDING BRADFORD MEEK. 
By Charles A. White, Washington. 
(Plato XII.) 
Twenty years have passed since the death of Fielding Brad- 
ford Meek, and yet the few of his old associates whom the 
Old Reaper has spared still hold for him only the kindest re- 
membrance. Scientists also, who did not know him personally, 
still give his works the same consideration and confidence 
that they were wont to accord while he was living. I shall 
make further reference to his personality, but it seems neces- 
sary to say at the outset that because of his indisposition to 
speak of his persona! affairs, even to his intimate associates, 
it has been impracticable to obtain more that meager data of 
his personal history. Tiiis difficulty has been emphasized by 
the fact that his living kindred were so few and so distant 
that little or no information could be obtained from them. 
Tlie most com])lete account of his personal history that has 
been published is the one which 1 furnished to the American 
Journal of Science for its March issue immediately following 
liis death. The circumstance of my getting even these few 
data from him is so apropos of his personal characteristics 
that I will relate it. One morning, only a few months before 
his death, while I was reviewing, with his aid, all the Smith- 
