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1895. | NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 105 
The Peltura Fauna was recognized by J. W. Salter as exist- 
ing in the Island of Cape Breton, in Nova Scotia, from certain 
fossils taken to the Great Exhibition in London (18517) by the 
late Dr. D. Honeyman. It was not recognized in New Brunswick 
until 1891. 
One more of these trilobite faunas of the European Cambrian 
rocks has just been found on this side of the Atlantic, viz., the 
Olenus Fauna. This occurs at Random Island, in Newfound- 
land, where Mr. Howley made some explorations last summer. 
He sent me some fossils from that island for examination, and 
among them were two examplesjof an Olenus. There remains 
now, therefore, only one fauna of the European Cambrian rocks 
that has not been recognized on this side of the Atlantic, the 
Ceratopyge Fauna, or that found in the Upper Tremadoe slates 
of Wales. 
Whether we consider the thickness of the sediments in the 
several parts of the Atlantic Basin (omitting such adventitious 
additions as lava flows and volcanic ashes, or the coarse con- 
glomerates of an immediate coast line), or whether we regard 
the kind and succession of the faunas which the Cambrian rocks 
contain, we are justified in giving more weight to the Upper 
Cambrian than is implied in the division into three sections of 
Upper, Middle and Lower. 
Furthermore, it is time that a base be found for the Cambrian. 
Already has one faunal zone been added which was not in the life 
zones originally known as Cambrian, viz., the Olenellus Zone; 
and if this process continues, each new country will add its 
Cambrian fauna from among the oldest Paleozoic sediments, 
until Cambrian will include “ all below.” 
On this side of the Atlantic, at least, we have what is a defi- 
nite base to the Cambrian (if it will be accepted as such) in a 
sandstone bed at or near the horizon of Olenellus. Near shore- 
lines this sandstone may become a conglomerate as at Manual 
Brook, elsewhere only a limestone may show, as at Brigus and 
Topsail Head, but generally in Newfoundland,as well as in New 
Brunswick, a pure sandstone holds the lowest position in re- 
lation to the Cambrian Faunas. No fauna of trilobites has yet 
been found below this sandstone. Here then should the line be 
drawn between Cambrian and pre-Cambrian. 
Above this limit there have thus far been found on the At- 
lantic coast of America the following trilobite faunas : 
(Peltura Fauna. 
Upper Cambrian - 
PI (Olenus Fauna. 
( Paradoxides Fauna. 
Lower Cambrian - 
( Olenellus Fauna. 
