Williams.] THE PENNINE CARBONIFEROUS. 81 



that the typical section is the section exhibited in the Pennine range 

 and as the name Carboniferous is a misnomer geologically (for we now 

 know that carbon or coal-bearing rocks are not confined to the system 

 generally so called), and as the name does not indicate the geographic 

 position of the typical section, it is believed that the adoption of the 

 name " Penuine system "may be of advantage to the science, for this 

 particular type of the Carboniferous system. 



This Pennine Carboniferous system may be defined as to its geographic 

 position, as the rock formations of the Pennine range of northern Eng- 

 land and equivalent formations in other parts of the world. In geologic 

 delimitation the Pennine system begins with a red sandstone and ter- 

 minates with the upper rocks of the Coal Measures. In biologic defini- 

 tion its first marine fauna is that of the Mountain limestone ; its final 

 fauna and flora are those of Jhe Coal Measures. The brackish fauna of 

 the Old Red sandstone had not ceased at its opening 5 the characteris- 

 tic Permian fauna or flora had not appeared at its close. 



Whatever may prove to be the correlation between the Old Red 

 sandstone and the Devonian systems, the definition of the Pennine sys- 

 tem is explicit in including fishes, such as Holoptychius, characteristic 

 of the Old Red system of Murchison, and is as explicit in the exclusion 

 of the Devonian marine fauna above which its earliest marine fauna 

 belongs. The rocks and faunas of that which was later called the Per- 

 mian system, are definitely excluded by the original author from the 

 Pennine Carboniferous system. The problems of the Devonian Old 

 Red system and of the Permian system must be discussed on their own 

 merits. This original section of the Carboniferous has its relations to 

 each clearly defined. 



In correlating our American rocks the recognition of the Pennine 

 Carboniferous system as typical, settles for us several disputed ques- 

 tions. For the Paleozoic rocks along the Appalachian and eastern 

 border region the limits between Devonian aud Pennine Carboniferous 

 are in the following positions : The Chemung marine fauna is strictly 

 Devonian ; the brackish water fish fauna of the Catskill is as strictly 

 Pennine. Hence the red rocks of the Catskill formation of New York, 

 the Ponent, Umbral,and Vespertine formations of Pennsylvania, belong 

 to the Pennine Carboniferous. 



When, as in western Pennsylvania and Ohio, the species of the Car- 

 boniferous or Mountain limestone fauna of England appear to follow 

 the marine Chemung, the line should be drawn between them for a strict 

 correlation. 



On passing westward the formations called Waverly, Marshall, Kin- 

 derhook, Chouteau, containing as they do a fauna distinctly related to 

 the Carboniferous limestone fauna, must be placed in the Pennine Car- 

 boniferous system. 



In Kansas and Nebraska, and other localities where the upper Coal 

 Measures gradually assume species of the types described from the 

 Bull. 80 G 



