182 REPORT OF THE AMERICAN COMMITTEE. 
As to the second class of recommendations, or those which re- 
late exclusively to the Archean, the following points are sub- 
mitted as fairly expressing the preference of the majority of 
those American geologists whose opinions were ascertained. 
B. The division first in order of time shall have a rank of the 
first order and shall be called " Archean." (a.) It shall compre- 
hend all the rocks of origin anterior to the Cambrian, (b.) The 
lowest subdivision of the Archean shall be called the Laurentian. 
(c.) A division between the Laurentian and the Cambrian pro- 
visionally including the Huronian, Grand Canon, Llano, Mon- 
talban, and Taconian (of Hunt), Animikie, and other divisions 
shall be accorded a name different from any of them (such as 
Eozoic, Proterozoic, Eobiotic, Eomorphic, Agnotozoic, etc.), and 
allowing the greatest amount of liberty in the future, when it 
shall be determined whether the divison shall be entitled to rank 
as one (or several) of the first order, having numerous subdi- 
visions as above mentioned ; or with or including any of the 
second order like the class Laurentian. No attempt shall be made 
at this time to prejudge this question, and these names and this 
classification shall be regarded simply as the best that can be 
accomplished at the present time. 
C. The two divisions of Archean (Pre-Cambrian) rocks just 
alluded to are probably separated by physical breaks from each 
other and from the Cambrian, but this has not been demonstrated 
sufficiently to enable it to be announced as an universal fact. Un- 
conformability at these horizons, and indeed at various others, has 
been observed in various regions, but their true interpretation 
must await that greater knowledge of the Archean rocks which 
can only be attained by additional investigation. 
D. Until such time as the Archean rocks can be correlated 
with each other in distant parts of the earth, it is best that geol- 
ogists should distinguish them from each other petrologically 
without attempting to ascribe more than local chronological value 
to such distinctions. 
E. The eruptives of the Archean, so far as they can be distin- 
guished from the remaining strata, should be classified separately. 
While there is a difference of opinion on the subject, a large 
majority seems to favor the classification of all eruptives together, 
whether of Archean or Cenozoic age (following the view of Von 
Dechen) ; the reason being that as great differences between 
