Febeuabt 22, 1907] 



SCIENCE 



295 



season brought them to light. In some of 

 the Orange County exposures it has been 

 found that above the basal conglomerate 

 of the formation through the grit layers 

 for a thickness of about 600 feet there are 

 frequent repetitions of thin, black shale 

 layers, inconstant in extent along the out- 

 crops and in number and most of them 

 bearing the remains of merostome crusta- 

 ceans of the genera Eurypterus, Pterygo- 

 tiis, Hiighmilleria and their allies. The 

 fauna must have been an extensive one, as 

 the remains are various and abundant, but 

 the preservation leaves much to be desired, 

 especially in the case of the larger crusta- 

 ceans, whose surface has afforded oppor- 

 tunity for shearing and consequent defor- 

 mation or destruction of the part. Yet in 

 some respects the preservation has been 

 remarkably favorable for small individ- 

 uals, and these shales have afforded the 

 most diminutive examples of these interest- 

 ing creatures yet brought to light. The 

 presence here of the genus Huglimilleria, 

 heretofore known only in the Pittsford 

 shale at the base of the Salina series in 

 Monroe County, is sufficient evidence of 

 the contemporary age of this arenaceous 

 mass. In themselves the fossils are ex- 

 tremely interesting, affording some details 

 of ontogeny not before recorded for these 

 ancient merostomes. It is entirely evident, 

 in the author's opinion, that these crusta- 

 cean faunules running through the strata 

 for so great a thickness indicate temporary 

 and very changeable brackish water pools 

 over the surface of a rapidly accumulating 

 delta derived from the drainage of the 

 high, folded lands to the northeast, and the 

 deposit laid down in an embayment entirely 

 separated from the salt pans and Dead Sea 

 conditions of central and eastern New York 

 by a barrier lying approximately in the 

 present position of the Helderberg Moun- 

 tains. 



Dr. Clarke's paper was discussed by 

 Professors Grabau, Lane, Ami and Clarke. 



Kentucky Bock Asphalt for Common High- 

 ways: Malcolm Haet Crump, Bowling 

 Green, Ky. 



This, paper treated Kentucky rock as- 

 phalt as to its composition, analysis and 

 probable origin and discussed its geological 

 horizon. The location and amount of avail- 

 able material and its economic uses as a 

 water-proof and dust-proof road-surfacing 

 substance were considered, and experiments 

 as to its use were described. Its durability 

 as shown by tests made on the streets of 

 Bowling Green, Ky., and the results of a 

 recent preliminary inspection by the Office 

 of Public Roads, U. S., were given. The 

 present demand for such material was 

 stated and the cost of mining, crushing 

 and grinding the Kentucky rock ready for 

 use was detailed. 



Professor Crump's paper was discussed 

 by Professors A. M. Miller, Ami and Stern- 

 berg. 



Portheus molossus, Cope, and Other Fishes 

 from the Kansas Chalk: Charles H. 

 Sternberg, Lawrence, Kansas. 

 This communication described a speci- 

 men of Portheus molossus, Cope. The 

 paper was illustrated by a photograph in 

 which were shown the tail fins, the upper 

 one 28 inches long, 37 continuous verte- 

 brse with dorsal fin in position as are also 

 the pelvic, so found for the first time after 

 experience of 40 years, exploration of the 

 fossil beds of the west. The author also 

 called attention to the beautiful set of 

 pectoral fins with connecting arches, each 

 three feet long, armed with 60 teeth. The 

 specimen is now the property of the British 

 Museum. 



Subaerial Erosio7i Cliffs and Talus in the 

 Lower Devonic of Michigan: A. W. 

 Grabau, Columbia University. 



