New York State Museum 



PALEONTOLOGY 



The (State paleontologist reports the following work for the 

 year ending Sep. 30, 1900. 



Work of the old department. Of the reports unpublished 

 at the time of the death of Prof. James Hall the following 

 w^ere issued during the year: Memoir of the Paleozoic reticulate 

 sponges; 16th annual report of the state geologist and paleontol- 

 ogist; ITth annual report of the state geologist and paleontol- 

 ogist; museum bulletin 30, Petroleum and natural gas in New York 

 by Edward Orton. 



Operations in the field, 1899-1900 



Section of the Chemung beds. Traverses of the Chemung forma- 

 tion were made with special reference to the determination of 

 the line of demarcation between the Devonian and Carbonif- 

 erous beds. 



Section of the Oriskany formation. In completion of work in 

 this connection which had been carried on during preceding 

 seasons sections of this formation were made throughout central 

 and we<stern New York. This work had in view the study of the 

 origin of the Oriskany sediments and the cause of their remark- 

 able variations in thickness. 



Investigation of the Ithaca fauna of central New York (Chenango, 

 Otsego, Delaware and Cortland counties). These operations were 

 carried on with the aid of a special legislative grant for the pur- 

 pose of determining more accurately the actual relations of the 

 Ithaca formation and it(S fauna to contemporaneous faunas at 

 the ea.st and west as well as to the faunas and sediments imme- 

 diately preceding and succeeding them in time. The outcome of 

 the season's operations in this direction was the accumulation 

 of very extensive material representing the organisms of the 

 time, and including a notable number of species heretofore 



