54 Forty- FOURTH Report on the State Museum, 



I communicate herewitli the report of Prof. J. M. Clarke, 

 Assistant Palaeontologist, giving special account of the additions 

 to the collection and making some earnest appeals for means for 

 carrying on .field-work which has almost entirely ceased for more 

 than ten years, thus leaving the Museum collections far in arrears 

 of the present condition of our knowledge, especially of the older 

 rocks and their contained fossils. Having so often and through 

 many years recommended persistent and systematic field-work, in 

 order to maintain the status and prestige of the Museum, I can 

 only express the hope that some plan of work may be adopted 

 when a moderate share of the Museum appropriation can be 

 devoted to this object. 



The Trustees of the Museum are to be congratulated in having 

 secured the valuable collection of Trenton Limestone fossils from 

 Mr. William Bust. The Museum collections have heretofore 

 been quite too barren in the fossils of this period. In the same 

 connection I can not help recalling our futile efforts on two 

 previous occasions to secure collections of fossils of the Trenton 

 Period. 



I can not refrain from again calling your attention to the great 

 need of fossils of the Cambrian system, of which we have scarcely 

 anything worth mentioning. 



I communicate herewith three papers by Prof. J. M. Clarke, one 

 entitled a ^ note on Coeonura diurus, Green (sp.) ; the second. 

 Observations on Terataspis grandis. Hall, the largest known 

 Trilobite ; the third. Notes on the Genus Aoidaspis. 



These papers are interesting and important contributions to our 

 knowledge of two very interesting genera and species of Trilo- 

 bites, and since the Museum has recently come into possession of 

 a nearly entire example of Coronura aspectans, the note on this 

 species is very opportune. 



In the same connection I communicate a catalogue of the 

 American Palaeozoic Brachiopoda, prepared by my private 

 assistant, Mr. Charles Schuchert, under my direction. This 

 catalogue will be an important adjunct to the volume now in 

 progress on the revision of the genera of the Palaeozoic 

 Brachiopoda. 



This catalogue is not yet finished and can not be satisfactorily 

 completed till the publication of the volume now in press, and on 

 that account I ask the privilege of communicating the remainder 



