Professor Whitney read a paper on the geological position of coal. The object of this paper was to show how completely the results of modern geological explorations and discoveries had done away with the old idea that valuable beds of coal are confined to any one member of the series of geological formations. The recent investigations of geologists in India, China, Australia, New Zealand, South America, and on the Pacific coast of North America, were noticed and commented on. It was shown that while the important coal fields of Eastern Europe and the Eastern United States are of palæozoic age, those of India, China and Australia, on the other hand, belong to the mesozoic series chiefly, although there are important deposits even as recent as the cainozoic or tertiary. Professor Whitney remarked on the distribution of the principal coal fields of the world into two great groups, on opposite sides of the globe: one of these is of palæozoic, and the other of mesozoic age. He referred particularly to the coal of the Pacific coast of North America, and gave a brief account of its geographical distribution and geological age, noticing particularly the fact that most of the valuable fields of that region belong to the cretaceous series, a geological formation which, in other parts of the world, has been found to be one of the most barren in combustible materials. In conclusion, the importance of coal discoveries in the region between the Rocky Mountains and California to the successful operation of the Pacific Railroad was explained, and the hope expressed that the geological expedition recently set on foot by the General Government, at the head of which is Mr. King, late of the California Survey, might be the means of giving to the world reliable information in regard to the coal resources of that region, of which we now know so little.
Prof. Whitney presented an elaborate paper “On the Natural System of the Igneous Rocks,” by Baron Richthofen; he advised its reference to the Publication Committee, and that it should be made one of the “Memoirs” which the Academy contemplates publishing. It was so referred, and the committee was instructed to report on the feasibility of commencing the publication of a series of quarto Memoirs.
Prof. Whitney exhibited a canine tooth, obtained from the deep gravel deposits at Douglas Flat, near Murphy’s, in Calaveras County; it appears to be different from the teeth of any animal yet found on this coast, either living or fossil. He considered it as probably belonging to the hyæna; if so, this was the first notice of the occurrence of this animal on the American continent.
Dr. Cooper stated that Mr. Ridgeway, the zoölogist appointed to accompany the Government exploration of Russian America, when on that coast, a few years since, had found birds nearly identical with living species in Asia—a fact of much interest, since none of the same species are found on the eastern coast of America. There is here another suggestion of the former intimate relations between Western America and Eastern Asia.
Regular Meeting, May 20th, 1867.
Vice President Ransom in the Chair.
Twenty-nine members present.
Messrs. John P. Cairns, J. W. C. Maxwell, Constantine Heusch, William Fischel, E. W. Burr, Archibald C. Peachy, J. P. H. Wentworth, C. P. Stanford, Henry Gibbons, Jr., M.D., and P. M. Randall, M.D., were elected Resident Members.