﻿130 
  NEW 
  YORK 
  STATE 
  MUSEUM 
  

  

  Chapter 
  4 
  

   FOSSILS 
  OF 
  THE 
  NIAGARA 
  REGION^ 
  

  

  PLANTS 
  

  

  • 
  

  

  The 
  Paleozoic 
  marine 
  plants 
  or 
  seaweeds 
  are 
  generally 
  classed 
  

   together 
  as 
  " 
  fucoids 
  ", 
  a 
  term 
  denoting 
  a 
  relation 
  of 
  these 
  organisms 
  

   to 
  the 
  modern 
  rockweed, 
  F 
  u 
  c 
  u 
  s 
  , 
  which 
  fringes 
  the 
  rocks 
  of 
  our 
  

   seacoast. 
  These 
  plants 
  were 
  probably 
  algae, 
  but 
  it 
  is 
  impossible 
  in 
  

   most 
  cases 
  to 
  make 
  a 
  more 
  precise 
  classification. 
  The 
  condition 
  in 
  

   which 
  these 
  remains 
  are 
  found 
  today 
  — 
  as 
  a 
  rule 
  mere 
  impressions 
  or 
  

   casts 
  of 
  the 
  original 
  — 
  generally 
  renders 
  the 
  determination 
  of 
  their 
  

   affinities 
  a 
  hopeless 
  task. 
  In 
  some 
  remains 
  the 
  plant 
  nature 
  of 
  the 
  

   organism 
  is 
  even 
  questionable. 
  

  

  Genus 
  bythotrephis 
  Hall 
  

  

  [Ety. 
  : 
  fiudoTpecprjq^ 
  growing 
  in 
  the 
  deep] 
  

  

  (1847. 
  Pal- 
  N. 
  Y. 
  1:8) 
  

   Plant 
  consisting 
  of 
  subcylindric 
  or 
  compressed 
  stems, 
  usually 
  flat- 
  

   tened 
  on 
  the 
  rock 
  surfaces 
  and 
  having 
  numerous 
  spreading 
  branches, 
  

   which 
  in 
  some 
  species 
  are 
  leaf-like. 
  

  

  Bythotrephis 
  gracilis 
  Hall 
  (Fig. 
  25) 
  (1852. 
  Pal. 
  N. 
  Y 
  2:18, 
  

  

  pl. 
  5) 
  

  

  Distinguishing 
  characters. 
  Slender 
  branches 
  diverging 
  at 
  varying 
  

   angles 
  from 
  a 
  central 
  stipe 
  which 
  not 
  infrequently 
  bifurcates. 
  Ter- 
  

   minations 
  of 
  branches 
  round 
  to 
  pointed. 
  

  

  ^In 
  this 
  chapter 
  only 
  the 
  Siluric 
  fossils 
  of 
  the 
  Niagara 
  region 
  will 
  be 
  

   considered, 
  those 
  of 
  the 
  Devonic 
  limestones, 
  which 
  border 
  this 
  region 
  on 
  

   the 
  south 
  being 
  so 
  numerous 
  that 
  they 
  must 
  be 
  reserved 
  for 
  a 
  future 
  pub- 
  

   lication. 
  No 
  attempt 
  is 
  made 
  to 
  add 
  to 
  the 
  number 
  of 
  known 
  species 
  of 
  

   Siluric 
  fossils 
  of 
  the 
  Niagara 
  region. 
  Of 
  described 
  species 
  those 
  only 
  

   which 
  have 
  been 
  found 
  in 
  this 
  region 
  or 
  recorded 
  in 
  the 
  literature 
  

   as 
  coming 
  from 
  it 
  have 
  been 
  included, 
  with 
  the 
  addition 
  of 
  such 
  species 
  

   from 
  neighboring 
  localities 
  as 
  occur 
  there 
  abundantly, 
  and 
  may 
  reasonably 
  

   be 
  expected 
  to 
  occur 
  in 
  the 
  Niagara 
  sections. 
  An 
  exhaustive 
  study 
  of 
  the 
  

   Niagara 
  fauna 
  of 
  western 
  New 
  York 
  has 
  still 
  to 
  be 
  made. 
  In 
  chapter 
  5 
  

   a 
  complete 
  account 
  of 
  all 
  the 
  post-Pliocene 
  shells 
  so 
  far 
  found 
  in 
  the 
  

   Niagara 
  gravels 
  is 
  given, 
  this 
  being 
  the 
  first 
  time 
  that 
  these 
  shells 
  are 
  

   described 
  and 
  illustrated. 
  

  

  