28 Repoet of the State Geologist. 



the fourth generation; covering a period of more than 60 

 years. 



To the many successive Legislatures of the State of 'New York, 

 as well as to the Chief Executives, the scientific public is 

 indebted for the volumes which have been published under the 

 title of Palaeontology of New York. In every Legislature the 

 author has found gentlemen who were interested in science, iand 

 who were in sympathy with this work. Not only among mem- 

 bers of the Legislature but among those who had previously held 

 legislative and executive ofB.ces, as well as other prominent citi- 

 zens of the State, the work has found encouragement and 

 support. The people of the State may have the satisfaction of 

 knowing that no other State Legislature has sustained, through 

 so many years, a scientific investigation carried on for the sake 

 of science itself, and without anticipating direct economic 

 results. For all this good will and liberality to science, the 

 writer desires to express, for himself and his scientific cu-laborers, 

 the most prof ound acknowledgments. 



JAMES HALL, 

 State Geologist and Palaeontologist. 



ALBA.NT, ]^. Y., December 5, 1894:. 



It is a great satisfaction to the author to report this work exe- 

 cuted according to the plan originally conceived, but which is 

 nevertheless incomplete owing to the large amount of material 

 which time and experience has accumulated, and which, at the 

 outset, could not have been anticipated or included in any plan. 

 The completion of this volume will still leave a large amount of 

 material in other departments than those already discussed and 

 published, and it is proposed to publish the results of the investi- 

 gation in the annual reports, or as memoirs, in such manner as 

 may be considered most desirable. As an earnest of such work 

 to be continued in the future a memoir upon the reticulate fos- 

 sil sponges, as already stated, is in a forward state of prepa- 

 ration, and more than 20 imperial quarto plates have been 

 lithographed, still leaving more than 30 plates to be done. 

 The manuscript is in an advanced condition and can be put 

 to press during the present year. After the Dictyospongidge 

 the most important subject for consideration and publication is 



