UPPER CRETACEOUS. 197 



wholly 01' at least largely marine, doubtless continued during the life of 

 these faunas here, as in the other areas, and such facts as are available 

 point to this conclusion. Such being the case, the term Eipleyan might per- 

 haps with greater propriety be applied, as has been frequently done to the 

 entire fauna, if it seemed inadvisable to restrict it, in which event a new 

 formational name would have to be employed for the upper beds. It is 

 evident that the greater part of the deposits comprising the Tuscaloosa must 

 of necessity be associated with the Upper Cretaceous strata of the Gulf 

 region, and a group term to include this entire series of deposits would 

 not be inappropriate. A final decision on these points, as well as a satis- 

 factory correlation of the Middle Atlantic with the Eastern Gulf deposits 

 must be deferred, however, until more is known of the stratigraphy and 

 paleontology of the latter region. 



"When a comparison of the Atlantic Coast Cretaceous fauna is made 

 with that of the European Cretaceous we find that its general character is 

 that of the Senonian, and the view has been commonly held by invertebrate 

 paleontologists that all of the marine beds of the Atlantic and Eastern Gulf 

 coasts represent that epoch of the Cretaceous, with the possible exception of 

 certain later deposits in New Jersey which have been regarded by the writer 

 and others as of Danian age. Some even include in the Senonian all of the 

 Upper Cretaceous strata, both marine and non-marine, from New Jersey 

 to the Mississippi basin, since even the lowest known Upper Cretaceous 

 deposits in this area (Earitan formation) contain a few marine invertebrates 

 of possibly identical species with those of higher horizons. Those who hold 

 this view necessarily consider that the earlier Turonian and Cenomanian 

 epochs are unrepresented, since every one now agrees that the unconformably 

 underlying deposits are Lower Cretaceous. It is quite possible, however, 

 that a more exhaustive study of these faunas may show them to be in part 

 of pre- Senonian age. 



"It is essential, however, before passing final judgment on the basis of 

 marine invertebrates to examine the evidence furnished by the fossil plants 

 which occur in great variety in the lowest beds beneath those containing 

 the marine invertebrates, as well as in interbedded strata in the middle of 

 the series. Berry, who has been engaged in a comparative study of tlie Cre- 

 taceous floras of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, states that the Magothj -Black 

 Creek flora is identical with that of the Tuscaloosa-Eutaw. Not only do they 

 have the same floral characteristics, but the species are in a larger number of 

 instances identical. Furthermore, the same forms occur in the Woodbine 

 formation in Texas and in the Dakota beds of the West. The flora has been 



