FOURTH REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I907 49 



severe winter kills off other species of animals specially acclimated 

 to this part of the world. ^ 



It is easy to see that such a restricted cause could have no effect 

 in accumulating the deposits of these animals in the tropic South 

 America. No one, however, has been happier in his theories upon 

 this problem than the author of the Essai sur Vorigine de la popula- 

 tion de I'Amerique, volume II, page 298, who regards all these bones 

 (whether in jest or earnest, no one knows) as nothing more than 

 the remains of a troop of fallen angels (equipped with six-pound 

 back teeth!) which, according to his notion, were the original 

 inhabitants of the earth in its primitive and glorious state, until, 

 because of their transgressions they were condemned to universal 

 destruction near their own earthly habitation, whereupon the rest 

 of the purified planet was cleaned up for the reception of the present 

 improved race of mankind. 



Devonic crinoids of New York. The work on the New York 

 crinoids has shown a fauna of exceptional and unexpected interest. 

 Thus far nearly 40 genera have been recognized, some for the first 

 time in Devonic rocks and the number closely approaches the total 

 genera hitherto known from the Devonic rocks of the world. The 

 group of the Inadunata is well toward completion and many draw- 

 ings of the species made. These investigations are being made by 

 Mr Edwin Kirk. 



Paleozoic corals. Excellent progress has been made by 

 Dr T. Wayland Vaughan on the anaylsis of the genera of the 

 Paleozoic corals. Dr Vaughan labors under the disadvantage of 

 endeavoring to rescue the results of previous attempts made here to 

 define and illustrate these fossils but his efforts give promise of an 

 eventually satisfactory outcome. 



Devonic fishes. A monograph of the Devonic Fishes of New 

 York by Dr Charles R. Eastman was issued during the year as 

 Memoir 10. This work affords a comprehensive survey of present 

 knowledge of the fishes obtained from the rocks of this State and 

 though these remains are in many instances in highly incomplete 

 condition, it has laid the foundation of future study of these organ- 

 isms. Moreover the author's wide acquaintance with his subject 

 has given his general conclusions more than ordinary interest and 

 force. Under the title " Zoological conclusions " problems of the 

 evolution of the fishes arc discussed, such as the origin of the ccl- 



* Tn, the severe winter of 1779-80 a j^re.it number of roe deer were 

 founrl dead here and there in the woods in the interior of America and 

 its mountains; often many tof^cthcr near the frozen sprinj^s where thev 

 were accustomed to drink or to lick salt. A multitude of birds and 

 other animals were also killed that winter. 



