PREFATORY NOTE 



The original purpose of this work was solely to depict the character 

 and composition of the Oriskany fauna of Becraft mountain, which of 

 itself displays many features of interest. In its progress, however, vari- 

 ous questions have arisen which concern the intrinsic value of the fauna 

 and its importance in correlation. Yet without an understanding of the 

 fauna itself it would be impracticable to discuss the latter problems, and 

 for this reason the title of the paper is restricted to the principal argu. 

 ment of the work, to which the discussions of somewhat broader scope 

 are corollaries. 



