THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 145 



find. Several other Brachiopods were also secured. We were for- 

 tunate enough to get a specimen from the upper blue building bed 

 Niagara limestone of Pholodops Granti (Hall). They had none in 

 the Washington Museum, and the author of " Classification of the 

 Brachiopods " was particularly interested in it, because it appeared 

 to be the sole survivor of a group which was about to disappear 

 altogether — a relic of a former age. 



The electric line to Grimsby offers us an opportunity of securing 

 many interesting specimens of Niagara slabs for microscopical 

 examination, independent of the chance afforded us of raking out of 

 the shales a much prized Crinoid, or the rarest of fossils, a Siluiian 

 Star-fish. Dr. Pettit informs me he has noticed grooving and polish- 

 ing on the sides of the hard rocks up the ravine. This would be of 

 considerable importance if it can be clearly established. I hope to 

 have an opportunity next year of accompanying him to the places 

 indicated and bringing to the notice of this section the result of the 

 investigation, Dr. Pettit is too cautious a man to be led into a 

 mistaken view respecting a locality with which he is so thoroughly 

 acquainted. 



NOTES. 



MAMMOTH BONES DISCOVERY — THE HUNTER STREET TUNNEL, 



The recent discovery in the tunnel at Hunter street of some 

 bones, fragments of the skeleton of a mammoth or mastodon, calls 

 for a more permanent record than was afforded by a daily news- 

 paper. Although occurring in Erie clay or till (ij feet from the 

 top) below the ancient Iroquois beach, it is possible the remains 

 may have been deposited more recently than the clay. If mired in 

 the sand and pebbles, which were subsequently cemented by lime 

 filtration through the mass, the weight of the bones would probably 

 sink them to where they were found. Yet the absence of the tusks, 

 heavy leg bones, etc , is certainly noticeable. 



An able paper by Dr. Spencer, F. G. S., " On the Birth of the 

 Niagara River," conclusively establishes that 30,000 years have 

 passed since " the Falls " conmienced their recession. [This was 

 also Sir Charles Lyell's rough estimate.] The river cuts through 

 this Erie till, and we may, approximately, form an idea regarding 



