176 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [may 13, 
Among the most interesting papers was that of Mr. C. D. 
Watcort on the ‘ Revision and Arrangement of the Cambrian 
Rocks of North America,” in which he literally reverses at an im- 
portant point the conclusions heretofore received regarding our 
oldest fossiliferous rocks, by showing, on seemingly incontestable 
evidence, that the Paradoxides zone, which has always been re- 
garded as the basal member of the American Cambrian, really 
overlies the Olenellus zone, heretofore placed as the second 
member. He finds in Newfoundland some well-defined sections 
where, for the first time, these lower Cambrian beds, hitherto 
known only separately at scattered points, are exposed in distinct 
and continuous superposition; and here the Olenellus series lies 
at the base, with the Paradoxides beds above it. This very in- 
teresting result would involve, of course, the transfer of the St. 
John’s, or Acadian, group and the old conglomerates of Brain- 
tree, Mass., to a position later than the beds of Georgia, Vt., 
and of 'T'roy and Schodack in this State, which latter would then 
take their place as the earliest fossiliferous strata of Eastern 
North America. 
Mr. Walcott further correlates the Cambrian rocks of the coast 
region with those of the Far West, and presents a full and defi- 
nite account of this great and interesting division of the geolo- 
gical series. 
THE PRESIDENT also spoke of the presentation of his own 
completed studies on the Cretaceous Flora of North America, 
soon to appear as one of the volumes of the U. S. Geological 
Survey. 
May 13, 1889. 
STATED MEETING. 
The President, Dr. NEWBERRY, in the chair. 
Nineteen persons present. 
The publications received during the week were enumerated 
and shown. 
