Neiv Order of Gigantic Fossils. 7 



It was a very apparent fact — if first observations are reli- 

 able — that the northern or Pine Ridge corkscrews, so pecu- 

 liarly mathematical, vertical, and regular, become, on going 

 south to the Niobrara, far more massive, much less regular, 

 and tend somewhat to lose the characteristic perpendicularity. 



The Pine Ridge Daimonelix — specimens of such magnifi- 

 cent proportions as to rank with the most gigantic fossils 

 known to science — become simply huge as we follow them 

 southward to the Running Water or Niobrara River. 



" -■ '"'-■"'"■' -;^';.^i/?. /r^.//e.., .. 



Fig. 4. — Eagle Crag, from the west. A is shown in Plate I. ; Bm Plates II. and III. ; 

 Cin Plate IV. ; D in Fig. 15 ; E'vn. Plate V., Figs. 27, 28, 29. 



The transverse portion of some specimens noted here was 

 three feet in diameter. These specimens had passed the 

 limit where transportation was practicable, and no attempt 

 was made to dig them out. 



Those collected, though of necessity much smaller, offered 

 not a few difficulties, even when broken into smaller pieces 

 for easier handling. 



If puzzled before, we were even more confused after the 

 third trip. And after considerable study and repeated consul- 

 tations with the foremost naturalists of the country, east and 



307 



