REPORT OF ASSISTANT PALEONTOLOGIST. 



Albany November 6, 1890. 

 James Hall, LL. D., Director: 



Sir. — The most notable addition during the past year to the 

 Palseontological Department of the Museum, has been the acqui- 

 sition of a large collection of fossils from the Black river lime- 

 stone, Trenton limestone, Utica slate and Hudson river shales and 

 sandstones from the central part of the State ; a purchase from 

 Mr. Wm. P. Eust, of Trenton Falls. This collection is especially 

 rich in the beautiful trilobites and crinoids of the Trenton, which 

 are now becoming rare and difficult to obtain ; the gastropods and 

 cephalopods of this formation are excellently represented. It 

 also contains a fine series of the Utica slate fossils, with an excep- 

 tionally complete representation of the developmental stages of 

 the trilobite Triarthrus Becki, fine specimens of Cyathophycus, 

 graptolites, etc. As a whole this collection strengthens our series 

 of New York fossils very materially, helping to fill the serious gap 

 in our illustration of the earlier palaeozoic faunas of the State. A 

 few specimens only from the collection have been placed in the 

 exhibition cases, replacing some less satisfactory examples of 

 prominent species ; it has been necessary to place the greater part 

 of it in the drawers on the south and east tiers of cases on the 

 Palaeozoic floor of Geological Hall. 



Comparatively little has been added to the collections through 

 work in the field by members of the staff. During the month of 

 August the Assistant Palaeontologist made some collections from 

 the Genesee and Lower Portage shales of Ontario and Yates 

 counties, securing eleven boxes of specimens, only a part of which 

 have been opened. Our representation of these faunas has been 

 exceedingly meager, and though probably superior to that of any 

 other institution, has afforded no adequate conception of their 

 variety and composition. The material thus acquired will be 

 helpful in completing this series, and we may expect much more 

 substantial assistance in this direction from the services of Mr. 



