268 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA 



lected which are referred by Mr. Meek to the Upper Carboniferous series. 

 Most of the species were new ; among' them were three species of Productus, 

 two new species of Spirifer, and another apparently identical with S. cameratus ; 

 also, Athyris subtilita and a new species of Chonctes closely allied to C. Ver- 

 neuiliana ; these localities are near what is now known as Ruby Valley and 

 Fort Ruby. 



The above are all the localities of fossils, in Nevada, known to have been 

 published up to this time, excepting those which have been described or noticed 

 in the publications of the Geological Survey of California. Messrs. Meek and 

 Engelmann state, at the end of their paper, that igneous rocks predominate 

 west of the 116th degree of longitude as far as the Sierra Nevada, and that 

 only a few traces of stratified rock were found in that district in none of which 

 any organic remains were observed. The exploration of this region, supposed 

 to be destitute of fossiliferous rocks, has proved, however, that it contains im- 

 mense ranges of stratified beds which, in a considerable number of localities at 

 least, are highly prolific in well preserved fossils. 



As soon as the Humboldt mining region began to be resorted to by miners, 

 which was in 1861 and 1862, fossils were discovered by several persons, who 

 about the same time furnished us with collections of value and interest. 

 The most important of these collections were those of Mr. Gorham Blake and 

 of Mr. R. Homfray. The specimens obtained by these gentlemen, as well as 

 others of the same age obtained l>y the Survey, near Dayton, Nevada, and also 

 in Genesee Valley, California, were figured and described by Mr. Gabb in the 

 first volume of the Palaeontology of California, forming a part of the series of 

 publications of the Geological Survey. The geological age of the formation is 

 that of the Hallstadt Limestone of the Austrian Alps, or the Upper Trias, 

 there being several species at the above cited localities which are identical with 

 European species from this geological position, as determined by Mr. Gabb, 

 and confirmed by Von Hauer, the eminent palaeontologist of the Austrian Geo- 

 logical Survey.* 



Since the publication of the Palaeontology of California, Vol. I, our stock of 

 information with regard to the range and extent of the Upper Trias, in Nevada, 

 has been considerably increased by the explorations of members of the Survey, 

 and other persons who have furnished us with specimens from their collections, or 

 civeu us information as to the character of the rocks noticed by them on their 

 lines of travel. We now know that the Triassic rocks occupy a broad belt of 

 country extending from the 117th meridian west to the line dividing the States 

 of Nevada and California, and lying between the parallels of 38° and 40° 

 Within the area thus designated, Triassic fossils have been found at several 

 localities, some of which are remarkable for the number and good state of pre- 

 servation of the various species. Among these localities that of the Volcano 

 District is remarkable for the size and beauty of the Ammonites found there. 

 This is about thirty miles east of the south end of Walker's Lake. New Pass 

 District, twenty miles west of Austin, is also a rich locality of Triassic fossils 



* See Jahrbuch derK.K. Geologischen Reichsanstalt, 1865, page 233 of the Proceedings. 



