146 REPORT OF THE AMERICAN COMMITTEE. 
It is from a consideration of the same kind, viz. : a laek of 
proper terms wliich can express the idea at present, that Prof. 
Dewalqne was led to conclude that if the group which he proposed 
to call Primitive be not accepted, the beds which compose it must 
be referred to the Paleozoic. 
It is of much more importance to decide what limitations 
"Primitive" or "Archean" should have, if employed separately, 
or together, or one to the exclusion of the other. 
Views of some American Geologists on certain 
Questions Concerning the Archean. 
The vote in favor of giving the name Archean to the oldest 
known crystalline rocks was very large in the Congress of Berlin ; 
even the English delegates having, through Prof. Hughes, de- 
clared in favor of it, though it was erroneously stated in the 
report of Prof. Dewalque that they preferred " Pre-Carabrian." 
The great majority of geologists who have mentioned the subject 
in their correspondence with your Reporter have expressed a pref- 
erence for " Archean," but they employ the terra in various senses. 
Prof. Dana, as the originator of the name, of course should be 
assumed as in favor of it, though in his letters to your Reporter 
he does not refer to the matter. 
Sir J. W. Dawson prefers the terra "Eozoic," and would 
have it include all the Pre-Carabrian strata. 
Dr. S. F. Emmons, following Prof, de L apparent, would 
make Archean a subdivision of the Pre-Cambrian strata (Primi- 
tive), and with R. D. Irving, Chamberlin, and Walcott, 
would restrict it to the beds below the Huronian. 
A large majority favors the decision of the Congress as to the 
use of Archean. 
For the purpose of ascertaining the opinions of some of the 
leaders in geological research, the following questions were mailed 
to them with the request that they would comraunicate their 
replies to the writer. 
A. Do YOU agree to the suggestions contained in the 
Report op the International Committee on Nomencla- 
ture (Report of the American Committee on the Work 
of the Geological Congress,* p. 49 to B, p. 57) ? If not, 
* At Berlin. 
