REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I916 43 



the Utica, Frankfort and Lorraine formations in central and north- 

 western New York, the funds not allowing a longer stay in the field. 



Researches. The field work of the year here recorded, 

 together with a few weeks of research in the field, in the preceding 

 year, have furnished sufficient data to continue the laboratory 

 investigation of the Upper Ordovician shale and sandstone ter- 

 ranes of the Mohawk and Black River valleys; the first instalment 

 of which was published in Museum Bulletin 162, entitled " The 

 Lower Siluric Shales of the Mohawk Valley." In this publication 

 the Trenton age of the black shale (formerly L^tica) and sand- 

 stones (formerly Fraiikfort and Lorraine) of the Lower Mohawk 

 valley was demonstrated. 



In the westward continuation of this work in the last two vears, 

 the Utica, Frankfort and Lorraine beds of the Upper Mohawk and 

 Black River valley were investigated. It was found that" the true 

 Utica shale in the Utica basin contains at least three major grapto- 

 lite zones, to which a fourth or younger zone is added in the Black 

 River valley. This rests on Trenton limestone younger than the 

 Trenton of Trenton Falls. The black shale hence shows a con- 

 tinuous and progressive rise in the time scale from the Hudson 

 river westward and northward to the St Lawrence river, from 

 lowest Trenton to post-Utica age. A distinct graptolite zone 

 develops also in the Black River valley in beds corresponding in 

 stratigraphic position and lithology to the Frankfort shale of the 

 Utica region. Collections of Lorraine fossils from the Lorraine 

 gulf and the deep ravines interesecting the Lorraine plateau toward 

 the Black river at the Whetstone gulf, with careful notation of their 

 horizons, have been made and it is expected that their study will 

 also permit the subdivision of the Lorraine formation on the basis 

 of its faunas and a subsequent correlation with the horizons dis- 

 tinguished in the Ohio basin and in Canada. It is by this care- 

 ful analysis of the faunas of sections that the facts of the shift- 

 ings of the ancient epicontinental seas are established and the basis 

 for paleogeographic maps of the different periods furnished. The 

 work on the Lorraine formation could not be fully completed 

 owing to the lack of funds. 



Occurrences of Mastodon and Mammoth 



In my report for 1903 a summary was given of the recorded 

 occurrences of the mastodon in this State, and this summary has 

 been supplemented in succeeding reports as new discoveries were 

 announced both of the mastodon and the mammoth (Elephas). 



