Notices of Memoirs—Lapworth’s N. American Graptolites. 31 
other rocks, characterize a considerable area on the lower part of the 
Dease, as well as on the Lizard River, above the confluence. The 
collection referred to was transmitted by Mr. J. F. Whiteaves to 
Prof. Lapworth, whose special studies on Graptolites are well 
known. It is believed that the following preliminary note by Prof. 
Lapworth will be of interest, as the occurrence of Graptolites on 
the Dease River extends very far to the north-westward of our 
previous knowledge of the occurrence of these forms in North 
America. In 1886 a similar small collection was obtained by 
Mr. BR. G. McConnell near the line of the Canadian Pacific 
Railway, in the Kicking Horse (Wapta) Pass. This and the new 
locality here described are the only ones which have yet been found 
to yield Graptolites in the entire western portion of the Dominion. 
Prof. Lapworth, under date December 13th, writes as follows :— 
I have, to-day, gone over the specimens of Graptolites, collected 
by Dr. Dawson, from the rocks of the Dease River, British Columbia. 
I find that they are identical with those examined by me from the 
rocks of the Kicking Horse Pass, some time last year. The species 
I notice in the Dease River collection are: 
Diplograptus euglyphus, Lapworth. Glossograptus ciliatus, Emmons. 
Climacograptus comp. antiquus, Lapw. Didymograptus comp. sagittarius, Hall. 
Cryptograptus tricornis, Carruthers. New form allied to Cenograptus. 
These Graptolite-bearing rocks are clearly of about Middle 
Ordovician age. They contain forms I would refer to the second 
or Black River Trenton period: i.e. they are newer than the Point 
Lévis series, and older than the Hudson and Utica groups. The 
association of forms is such as we find in Britain and Western 
Kurope, in the passage-beds between the Llandeilo and Caradoc 
Limestones. The rocks in Canada and New’ York, with which these 
Dease River beds may be best compared, are the Marsouin beds of 
the St. Lawrence Valley, and the Norman’s Kill beds of New York. 
The Dease River beds may perhaps be a little older than these. 
Mr. C. White described some Graptolites from beds in the mountain 
region of the West, several years ago, which may belong to the same 
horizon as the Dease River zones, though they have a somewhat 
more recent aspect. 
The specific identification of the Dease River fossils, I regard as 
provisional. While the species correspond broadly with those found 
in their eastern equivalents, they have certain peculiarities which 
may, after further study, or on the discovery of better and more 
perfect specimens, lead to their separation as distinct species or 
varieties. 
It is exceedingly interesting to find Graptolites in a region so far 
removed from the Atlantic basin, and also to note that the typical 
association of Llandeilo-Bala genera and species is still retained 
practically unmodified.—G. M. D. 
