Dr. Ferdinand von Roemer. 133 
tributions furnished the American Journal of Science and 
Arts in 1846 and 1849 (II. Series Vols. I and VI.) and a 
more popular work entitled “Texas. Mit besonderer Ricksicht 
auf deutsche Auswanderung und die physischen ‘Verhiltnisse 
des Landes,” published at Bonn in 1849, he gave to the world 
in 1852 “Die Kreidebildungen von Texas und ihre Einschlusse. 
Mit einem die Beschreibung von Versteinerungen aus palao- 
zoischen und tertiaren Schichten enthaltenden Anhange und 
mit 11 von C. Hohe nach der Natur auf Stein gezeichneten 
Tafeln,” printed also at Bonn, by Adolph Marcus. It was this 
work that won for him the title “Father of the Geology of 
Texas.” That Roemer should have been able to accomplish 
so much during his brief sojourn in the state is remarkable 
considering the limited means of transportation and the seri- 
ous danger from wandering bands of Indians when conducting 
scientific work outside of the immediate vicinity of the settle- 
ments. Under such circumstances that his results should have 
been so accurate is a little short of phenomenal. 
Before proceeding farther it may be well to direct attention 
to some of the salient points brought out by these early inves- 
tigations. “Die Kreidebildungen” is not entirely devoted to 
the Cretaceous or Chalk formation of Texas, for, in addition 
to a detailed consideration of that formation and its fossils, 
the introduction treats of such topics as the following: ‘‘Geo- 
graphic Position and General Orographic Character of Tex- 
as,” in which the greater topographic features of the state, with 
the exception of the western mountains, are clearly described ; 
“General Geognostic Constitution of the Land”; “Diluvial and 
Alluvial Formations”; ‘Tertiary Formations’; Older or 
Paleozoic Strata”; and “Plutonic Rocks.” The appendix, 
moreover, contains descriptions of fossils from the paleozoic 
strata and descriptions of fossil woods by professor Unger. 
In view of the above outline it scarcely need be said that this 
work has been a fruitful source of inspiration to all who have 
made a special study of the topographic and geologic features 
of this region. That it as well as the earlier descriptive volume 
should not have been translated into English long ago is some- 
what remarkable. Concerning the geological map in the ear- 
lier volume, based upon Wilson’s geographic map, it is fair to 
say that the general features of the state are well shown and 
with an unexpected degree of accuracy. 
