DEDICATION 



To His Excellency 



G ROVER CLEVELAND, 



Governor of the State of New York : 



Sir — I have the honor to present to your Excellency a new volume of the 

 Natural History of the State of New York, forming a continuation of the work 

 on tlie Palaeontology of the State. 



This volume, together with another to be published early next year, is 

 devoted to the description and illustration of the fossil bivalve shells known 

 as Lamellibranchiata. The entire work will embrace all the fossils of this 

 class from the higher geological formations of the State. The material has been 

 accumulated from various sources during the period since 1843. Eighty plates 

 for these volumes had already been lithographed in 1873, but the publication 

 was delayed for want of legislative authority for the printing. During the 

 session of 1883 an act was passed by the Legislature, and sanctioned by your 

 Excellency, providing for the completion of the entire work upon the PaljEon- 

 tology of the State. The present volume is the first fruit of that act, and I 

 trust its publication may give you personal satisfaction. 



Hoping that this volume may commend itself to the students of science and 

 prove not unworthy of the great series of works comprised in the Natural 

 History of the State of New York, 



I have the honor to be, 



With great respect. 



Your obedient servant, 



JAMES HALL, 



State Geolof^ist. 



Albany, February 15, 1884. 



"tD" 



