12 Twenty- FIFTH Report on the State Museum. 



compared and studied ; and the fossils must be studied also in con- 

 nection with the nature of the sediments containing them. 



I have here merely indicated the manner in which we may arrive 

 at these results, for without doubt the principle here enunciated 

 is the fundamental one in producing these alternations of beds, wnth 

 the accompanying and consequent alternation of faunae in the sedi- 

 mentary formations. 



While giving especial attention to the south-eastern part of the 

 State, I have collected some facts relative to the geological forma- 

 tions containing the iron ores of St. Lawrence and Jefferson coun- 

 ties, which go to confirm the views originally expressed by Mr. 

 Yanuxem, that their geological age is more recent than the Lauren- 

 tian of the Adiro*ndacks. 



General Work of the Museum. 



The changes contemplated' in the arrangement of the collections 

 have not been carried out for want of cases, as already indicated. 



In the Botanical Department, Mr. Peck's special report will indi- 

 cate the work done, without the necessity of -repetition in this place. 



In the Zoological Department, the collection of Skeletons already 

 referred to have been partially arranged, and as far as our present 

 means will permit. 



The labeling of the Gould Collection of Shells has been under- 

 taken and nearly completed by Mr.Lintner. The labels accompany- 

 ing the species have been copied and the localities added when this 

 could be done by reference to original catalogues, with lists of species. 

 These labels have been attached to tablets accompanying each tray, 

 where they can be readily seen, while the specimens are arranged in 

 such positions as to give opportunity of making comparison and study 

 of the species. The collection requires a thorougli revision to bring 

 it up to the requirements of the present condition of the science. 



The collections of Tertiary shells, purchased of Prof.»Orton, have 

 been arranged in their proper relation with the Tertiarj^ fossils on 

 the second floor of the Museum. 



Mr, Whitfield has been occupied for a portion of the time in label- 

 ing collections already in the Museum, and for a large part of the 

 year in cleaning and preparing fossils which are to be placed in the 

 Museum, and in other work incident to or in connection with distri- 

 bution, of which I may mention the following : 



