New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-24

! human
or the agger of an ancient camp the same assem-
| hlaco of gentlemen now gathered into group. |
some seated some reclining the grass. as they |
Listen to tho field address" delivered by one OF !
Their number. II on a mountain, this VIII no |
| geologic, and the speaker, seen now facing this
wav now that, as he points ont line of ellis IN
dicang the presence of carboniferous limestone OF
to bold hill projection that tells of an outpourlns
of trap or basat which has Murdered denudation Oh
the softer sedimentary rock underneath ana so pre-
served the hill. Ii time permit. there will be other
addresses given, papers read, and on variety Oh
subjects. As rule. however. the journey thther
with that due on return home makes time precious
and the unread papers are "taken as read. TO APP
pear in the printed Transactions" II Judeeu
worthy. Besides there is some heid ootan'Hlne
and practical geoogizing yet TO be done ana ai'er
that the dinner: this with many or the excursion
! lists not the least important event OF tDe uay' 90
! IN good time there is n breaking mp oil Inc assem-
bage into several smaller groups who stroll about
| in different directions, some with grabbing troWe
and r1scgluya in search of species OF ferns or
other uncommon plants, and some armed WIN the
| orthodox geological hammer IN the nope or laying
| bare fossil Should there be quarry con
yenient the BIOLOGISTS will find their way TO II;
| when a very flsade OF cracking and chipping
! follows. TO the astOnishment and often ainusemeht
| of the Quarrynen. Any remarkable ruin IN the
| nelghbOrhOOQ
| church. And here the local arch@Oogist-usually
the rector or vicar himsef-takes conduct of the
| excnrsicnsts and inhicts upon them his limited
| acquaintance with the past, architectural and
! otherwise Every pane of stained window glass.
every memorial tablet against wall or in the Ragged
| floor. with carvings OF altar and rood-screen, ~
dated upon with much earnest volublllty as
though it were knowledge worth attaining. while
! in point of fact it Is scarce worth word. Inc
amount OF this idde-fadde about old churches.
and the rcliquiG OF past times generally. is some
thing to be surprised at though the craze-for
such cannot help calling it's not confined 10
| Englishmen: instead seems more a madness
with Americans.
In the case Of the Naturalists' Field Club this
! church dissertation is not always listened to with
remarkable patience. For by this time the excur-
sionsts have become hungry. and dinrer is the pre-
valng idea. So there will be a sounding OF the
Presidents call-whstle and quick rallying around
| hun of the scattered and straying groups. Then a
| hurried re urn to where the chartered conveyances
have been left a scrambing into seats, and back to
the place Of departure TINS will be the village inn
whose Bonface has not only provided the car
riagc transport but the dinner. of course also be-
! spoke" A substantial rcpast and fairly good Mt
| all events appreciated. After mountain climbing,
with long fasting the diners not disposed TO cavli
at the cookery the Viauds being cold as most OF
! them are To furnish a hot dinner for many
guests would Uvcrtask tho capabilities OF the village
| hostelry Moreover, the meal has to be eaten hur
riedly with all ears the alert. dreading at each
instant to hear the screen OF railway whistle an
nouncing the train at the station For that tram
may be the last OF the day. and Should they fail to
catch IT, then dilemma indeed SO there is no time
for specchifying or toasts one: Her Majesty
! the Queen" which is never omitted 1t must not,
dare not, else science would be deemed disoyaI
The dinner is much per head each paying for his
own. Three shillings and sxpence is the customary
| charge stipulated for by the clubs committee and
set forth in the secretary's circular. This, Of
course does not include wine or other drink; which
if ordered paid foi by him who orders it, then and
| there. The tablc-walter, it may be the landlord
| bmself-eXpects cash down upon the nall,' us AT
most other public dinners in England.
Many of those who attend field meetings may not
belong to the club BY the rules each member has
the privilege Of bringing friend With him and
although ladies' are not officially members, a few
will pe present at most field meetings But there
is one in every year specially devoted to the iemi-
! nine element, termed the Ladies Day, on which
| they anpear in overpOwerng numbers. Nor need |
say that at this particular meeting the gentlemen
| turn up more numerous than usual; many OF them
thinking 1t tho real ENJOYABLE event of the year;
though the Jealous naturalisis TAKE different Jew
! of the matter. aud would grumblc Mt It'll they
| dared. For Oh tin Ladies' Day it is nearly all
| picnic and but little OF science teaching.
! The modes and ways Of Archaeological Societies
do not greatly differ from those Of Naturaists Field
| Clubs save in their eXcus ye devotion TO the one
study from which they take th,ir naue They
also fewer in numbers; and, a. already said less OF
a rural Institution than the NaturalstS' Field
| Gibbs. though most of their meetings are also
amid country scenes
~. lfef E;n11
Clni. are NOT only laudaole III aim but of good
vice in their action. in England they have done
much TO develop natural science and TO the pablo
! benefit Especially is this true IN regard to
geology: branch OF knowledge until lately
looked upon as theoretical speculation, but
now known 10 be q factor of most practical value,
If only Is an aid 10 mining operations As proof
and illustration OF this nav ad'luCc a somewhat
conica incident that occurred but a short while
ago near my own neghborhool, though it proved
anything but 4 comedy to the nero OF IT, lie
gentleman owning IA tract OF land, un1cr which he
imagined there was coal. aud employed number
OF working miners 80 Zig for it.. They sank shafts
! hundreds of feet deep, and tunnel.ed away for
weeks and nonths-in short till their empowers
eXchequer became empty. AMI be could no longer
meet their wage demand. As the story goes. these
subterrancous seagchcrs day after day. brought mp
frolr the bowels of the earth and made parade Of
chunks OF coal, the genuine thing itself. Yet
were their ,inkings through strata CT the Deyonan,
or old red sandstone, rocks in geologic order
thousands of feet below where coal conld possibly
! be found, and whose deposition occurred, 10
knowing how MANY millions of years, before coal
| had existence on the earth.
The mercst tyro i'll geology could have TOld this
foolish man what yais fdtu0S he pursuing.
And hc was told 1T, but 10 no purpose. With mule
like obstioacy or rather moc-likc persstency, he
ant tunnpllnV IN till fine evil dHv came and his