Report on Organic Remains. 273 



Report on several fossil multilocular shells from the State 

 of Delaware : with observations on a second specimen of the 

 new fossil Genus Euuypterus. By J. E. Dekay. Read 

 October 1, 1827. 



No. 1. Is a segment of an apparently new species of Am- 

 monite. It was obtained in excavating the Delaware and 

 Chesapeake canal, by Mr. Cyril Pascalis, and presented, 

 through Dr. Mitchill, to the Cabinet of the Lyceum. This 

 canal passes through a bluish marl, as it is termed, forming a 

 part of that extensive diluvial region, extending along our sea 

 coast from the Hudson river, beyond the mouths of the Mis- 

 sissippi. This region is remarkably rich in fossil remains ; 

 and it is to be hoped that the opportunities now offered, by the 

 excavation of canals in different parts of the country, will 

 not be suffered to escape the attention of the engineers, and 

 others employed in the construction of these public works. 

 The specimens we are about to exhibit, are remains of marine 

 molluscous animals, formerly living in the depths of the ocean 

 with Encrinites, Belemnites, Baculites, &.c. and are found 

 associated together in great abundance in the diluvial above 

 mentioned. 



The Ammonites belong, according to Lamarck, to the 

 cephalopodal order of invertebrated animals. They have 

 hitherto been found only in the fossil state, and of course, all 

 our knowledge of the animal inhabiting the shell, must be 

 derived from analogy.* 



The collections of naturalists have long contained speci. 



* Note. Since writing the above, we have remarked in the Specification 

 des Genres des Mollusques, de la Collection de F. O. Hceninghaus, of Cre- 

 feld on the Rhine, that he has both the Ammonite and Orthocerite in a re- 

 cent state. 



