198 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



PALEONTOLOGY 



The State Paleontologist reports that during the year investiga- 

 tions have been carried forward with special reference to the 

 problems of the correlation of the earlier Devonic faunas of New 

 York with those of the maritime provinces of Canada ; also with 

 reference to the development and correlation of the graptolite 

 faunas in this State. The latter investigations have been brought 

 to a conclusion and are in course of publication as Memoir 7 of 

 the State Museum. The final investigations necessary for the 

 conclusion of the study of the faunas of Portage time in New 

 York have been completed and are embodied in Memoir 6, which 

 is now essentially printed. During the year, Memoir 5 on the 

 Guelph fauna of the State of New York was printed and dis- 

 tributed. Bulletin 65, Catalogue of Type Specimens of Paleozoic 

 Fossils, was also completed and issued. 



During the greater part of the year the printing of the annual 

 I'eport for 1902 has been in progress, and this is now ready to 

 leave the press. An indication of the activity of the department 

 in the direction of publication for the year is afforded by the 

 statement that our printed investigations and reports equal 1600 

 pages, accompanied by 68 lithographic plates. 



Heretofore in the histoTy of the department but little attention 

 has been given to the study of the fossil plants from our Paleozoic 

 formations. During the year Mr David White, of the United 

 States Geological Survey, has made a preliminary examination 

 of our material, and arrangement has been made with him for/ 

 future careful study of the more interesting of the extensive 

 series of striking specimens of these ancient plants which our 

 collections contain. 



The additions to the collections have been large, as acquisitions 

 have been freely made in the field. At present the sum total of 

 acquisitions may be estimated at from 10,000 to 15,000 specimens, 

 among which is an important series of type specimens of grapto- 

 lites and other fossils acquired by purchase. We are also 

 acquiring a unique slab of Potsdam sandstone, 30 x 10 feet, bear- 



