178 GEOLOGY OF THE THIRD DISTRICT. 



of these plants must have been over two feet in length, and two or three inches in width. 

 They all show a conversion of their vegetable material to coal, but in few instances exceed- 

 ing one-fifth of an inch in thickness. Similar plants are also found to the cast of Ithaca, on 

 the road to Dryden ; at the quarries near Homer, where they are tolerably numerous ; at 

 Derby and Miller's quarry in the town of Truxton, and in many other localities. Fragments 

 have occasionally been met with, showing that their form was spear-shaped or lanceolate. 

 Specimens from all these localities are in the State Collection, and also a more interesting 

 one from a quarry near Truxton comers. It somewhat resembles a reaping hook in shape, 

 being falciform, about eight inches long, the surface covered with small deep and round punc- 

 tations, not, however, well defined, owing to a defect in that part of the specimen. 



With respect to the geographical distribution of this group, there did not appear to be much 

 difficulty in tracing its boundaries upon the map through some of the counties east of Cayuga 

 lake, when connecting it with the group below ; commencing upon the top of the Genesee 

 slate, and limiting the upper part to where the common fossils of the Chemung group appear. 

 Ab no present advantage would be gained in noting the line of division, and as the whole are 

 also connected together on the map, a few localities only will be noticed of this lower part 

 of the Erie division, and with reference mainly to the Cauda-galli fiicoids, this being the third 

 position of these highly curious fossils in the New- York system. They are here well defined, 

 and more extraordinary in shape than in their lower positions. 



There are two localities where these fucoids were found to be quite numerous, and 

 extremely well preserved. The first going east from Cayuga lake, is to the southeast of De 

 Ruyter village, at Burdick's quarry on the hill, near the foot of which the Genesee slate is 

 seen, covering the valley. The fucoids are met with over a considerable extent of surface 

 around the quarry, and along the road towards Smyrna. The greater number are of the kind 

 which have been compared by Dr. Locke of Ohio, to the folds of a curtain ; he also having 

 found them in that State, in the Waverly sandstone. An appropriate name would be Fucoides 

 velum, or Curtain fucoid, as was, I believe, suggested by him. The figure given below in 

 wood-cut 47 is altogether of a different kind, as is evident firom its shape. It is from the same 

 quarry ; and in its form, it resembles a chemical retort. The specimen shows something 

 like three systems of confluent raised surfaces, composed of rounded ridges, proceeding in 

 curved lines from a point which is raised, as if they had been projected from a common centre, 

 the three systems having united together, and terminating no doubt in a point which was 

 broken oflf. These fossil bodies are difficult to represent without some practice, for which 

 there was not time, wishing to complete the Report by a specified period. 



