152 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



do not think diatoms are at all frequent or characteristic of this 

 material and are inclined to doubt their presence for several reasons. 

 As far as we know, when diatoms exist in any material, it is always 

 possible to get many types and abundant examples of various species 

 if not genera and none of this evidence occurs. One cross section on 

 slide 4 resembles a crinoid stem; but we know of none which would 

 measure 0.16 mm in diameter, and in any case it ought to be sym- 

 metrical, which this is not. Another prismatic, oval and very large 

 fossil occurs on slide 4 which may also be a crinoid, but we do not see 

 how it can be such and possess so narrow and elongate a form. 



Another problematical, perhaps spongelike, mass is seen on slide 

 2 and still another very large four-segmented, thick- walled specimen 

 on slide 4, which looks as though it might be an arenaceous foraraini- 

 feran, like Reophrax or Haplophragmium. The chambers are not 

 connected, however, the openings are irregular and do not seem to 

 be present toward the smaller end and the form is not complete. 

 Moreover, the septal divisions faintly shown are oblique. 



No satisfactory evidence can be obtained as to the age represented 

 by the miscellaneous organisms referred to above ; but we do not feel 

 justified in ignoring them and mentioning only material we can 

 determine. 



Evidence from Foraminifera 



The evidence obtained from the very large niimber of Foraminifera 

 occurring in the chert is both negative and positive. From the 

 negative side we should note that no Fusulina or Endothyra occur 

 nor do any of the late typical Carboniferous species, save N o d o- 

 saria radicula, become abundant, and this type is just as 

 representative of the Silurian or Cambrian as it is of the Carboniferous. 



Taken as a whole the fauna is more like the Trias, for we find 

 many species identical with those of the Trias of Bakony described 

 by Vadasz and referred to in our bibliography. The occurrence of 

 so many Globigerinae and Textulariae is not surprising as these genera 

 are among the oldest known, but it is striking that we find such a 

 large development of the genus Virgulina, and Bolivina as well. We 

 do not know of any. such discovery in formations so primitive as these 

 must be, and did not suppose that Virgulina occurred in Paleozoic 

 horizons. Pulvinulina and Rotalia are both highly organized genera, 

 the latter often showing a complete interseptal canal system such as 

 exists in Nummulina and Polystomella ; but both these have been 

 recorded from the Cambrian of Russia and described by Ehrenberg 

 from blue clay which he considered Silurian, but which is now known 

 to be of Lower Cambrian age. There is, consequently, no reason 



