The American Geologist Volume 2 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1888 edition. Excerpt: ... the credit of discovering America. He "blundered" upon it. He expected to strike India. A great many important discoveries would be accredited to persons now unknown, or would have no authors, if the real discoverers were to be held responsible for the minor mistakes through which they passed. Fourth Proposition. This statement could have been made before November, 1887, as appropriately as since. Nothing new bearing on the position Dr. Emmons assigned the various members of the Taconic, has come to light since November. That Dr. Emmons made some mistakes in assigning the various parts of the Taconic to their places, is abundantly proved; but that he only made mistakes, and that every assignment he adopted was only the result of "fortunate happening," when found correct, we cannot believe. Even Mr. Walcott would not deny that Emmons put the Granular Quartz correctly on the gneiss, and unconformable with it, on correct observation; and Mr. Walcott's own work has proved that the most of the Upper Taconic was correctly placed by Emmons below the Potsdam of the New York system. Fifth Proposition. These principles were just as forcible prior to November, 1887, as since. The rule on which Mr. Walcott seems to rely to exclude the term Taconic, will be found at the commencement of his synopsis. With the exception of minor mistakes which Dr. Emmons made, there is nothing in the results attaiued by Mr. Walcott which fails to be identifiable with those attained by the founder of the Taconic system. The main result, in each case, that upon which the central and essential element of the Taconic depends, is fully established by Mr. Walcott, viz., within the typical Taconic area there are sub-Potsdam fossils at over one hundred localHies. No scientific...