Evening star., 1933-07-12
WORLD BIOLOGISTS
GATHERING IN D. c.
Side Trip Down Potomac Will
Be Made Before Session
Opens.

Geolopists from all over the world
now are gathering in the United states
for the International Geological Con-
eress. to be held in Washington the last
OF this month.
The time before the opening OF the
congress on July 20 is being taken up
with excursions to the classic areas OF
the country. One group OF famous
biologists and paleontologlsS Will SAL
down the Potomac tomorrow morning
for a fossil-collecting and study tour OF
the coastal plain of the Chesapeake
Bav region. This is being conducted by
/. w. Steph son, C. w. Cooke ana
J Gardner O. the Geological Survey
and will continue until July 2l. An,
other left yesterday for geological
study of New York State and western
Other trips starting this week are
through the mining districts OF the
Southeastern and Central states,
through the Appalachian Valley IN VIZ,
sinia and border States, through the OH
fields Of Texas and Oklahoma, from
New York to washington through the
Central Appalachians. through the
mineral regions of New Jersey and
Eastern Pennsylvania, and transcon-
tinental excursion from San Francisco
to washington. Other excursions are
planned after the convention.
Bay Holds Interest.
The Chesapeake Bay section IS OF
special interest to washington. The bay,
it was explained at the Geological
Survey. is the drowned valley OF the
Susquehanna River, which cut us way
through q raised sea bottom dating
from the miocene geological period, ap-
proximately 100000 years ago. AT
that time the entire area was sea bot
tom. On the old ocean bottom were
deposited the remains OF The dominant
ocean life Of that time, which eventually
became fossilized.
During the succeeding pliocene geo.
logical era, roughly 100000 years ago
the sea bottom was raised and became
dry land Then the river cut Its way
through, laying bare the typical mlocene
ocean fauna.
During the ice ages, the sea levels
rose and fell, creating new beaches. Ever
since the cliffs have been washed away
more and more, with rich harvest for
both amateur and expert fossil hunters
For the experts the objects Of greatest
interest are the shells. They are describ-
ed as "the second hands Of the clock OF
time" For the amateurs the greatest
attraction is provided by the remains
Of the vertebrates. Sharks teeth can
be gathered by the handful. The
miocene seas must have abounded with
sharks Some of these teeth are two
inches long. They are of all shapes and
sizes Complete whale skeletons have
been dug out of the lime-clay rock.
Collections to BE Made.
The foreign visitors will make collec-
tions for their own museums. There are
three geological formations represented
the Choptank, the Calvert and the
st. Mary's Each is like page out OF
the diary Of time.
On this trip the geologists will visit
Virginias famous Dismal Swamp, which
offers problems of special geological in
terest. Although this cypress swamp
now is about 20 feet above sea level, it
represents an ancient, imperfectly
drained sea bottom. It Is essentially an
ice-age formation underlaid by the same
pliocene and miocene which Is found
in the Chesapeake cliffs. During the
interglacial periods, the swamp was FOL
the most part under the sea, emerging
from time to time as the sea level feI
with the recurrent invasions Of the ice
The biologists also will collect miocene
fossils in the vicinity OF Yorktown
which Is a classic spot not only IN the
history Of the United States, but IN the
vaster history Of the North American
continent.