OCR Text |
Show UNCOUNTED YEARS OLD Fossil Animals and Plants of the Early World Constitute the Geologist's Key The work ot the United States Ue- j ologlcal Survey in paleontology tho study of fossil remains of animals and plants that lived ages ago has n distinct bearing on somo of tho very practical economic problems of today. Tho descriptive paleontology le-ports le-ports aro often treated as "puro science," yet instructive, striking, or tedious as may bo theso dellneatlics of tho groups ot animal or plant llfo which lived on tho globo in somo particular epoch, tboro Is not one ot theso pnpors describing tho fnuni or flora of n formation that does not prove soonor or later to possess practical value and to bo essential to geology In Its constantly Increasing Increas-ing refinement of study nnd results Without paleontology tho geologic classification of formations, their co-relatlon co-relatlon and tho determination of tholr mutual relations would bo Impossible. Im-possible. In fact, real and symmetrical symmet-rical progress in geology Is Impossible Impos-sible without corresuondlng Intor-ro-lated development nnd refinement nt Its handmaid paleantology. Tho Btudy of tho economic geology of any region of complicated structure Is blind nnd Inconsequent unless tho tlmo rolatlons of tho strata contain. (From Thlrty-thlrd Annual Report Director U. S. Geological Survoy. |