240 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Within the writer's observation, students at the beginning of 

 their field experience are misled by the perfection of cabinet 

 specimens and figures and hope to find everywhere such perfect 

 forms; as a matter of fact, they must learn to be guided for the 

 most part by fragments. 



It does not seem possible to give within the limits of this publi- 

 cation any adequate description of the fossils which are charac- 

 teristic of the different strata. It is better for these to refer to the 

 original publications of the New York Natural History Survey. 

 In the four reports on geology by Mather, Emmons, Vanuxem and 

 Hall, numerous illustrations of fossils are given but the names 

 are, in many cases, out of date. In the volumes on Palaeontology 

 from I to VII, are described and figured most of the fossils of 

 New York state from the Potsdam sandstone to the Chemung. 

 Volume VIII gives a revision of the Brachiopoda. To 

 these volumes, therefore, the student should refer for the identifi- 

 cation of such forms as he may find in his field excursions. A few 

 of the more common species are figured in Dana's Manual of 

 Geology, which should be in the hands of every student. For thoise 

 pursuing more critical studies, the work of S. A. Miller on North 

 American Geology and Palaeontology is of great value as it gives a 

 complete list of all Palaeozoic fossils described up to the date of 

 its publication and indicates the more modern names in the many 

 cases where there has been a change of nomenclature. Of the 

 eight volumes of New York palaeontology mentioned, the first 

 two are out of print and are only to be had from dealers in second 

 hand books, but they will probably be found in most of the public 

 libraries of New York state. The remaining volumes are sold at 

 $2.50 each. 



THE* NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY OF NEW YORK 

 AND THE ORIGIN OF THE STATE MUSEUM 



The New York State Museum, organized by act of legislature 

 in 1870 under the title of the State Museum of Natural History 

 and placed under the trusteeship of the Eegents of the University, 

 is the result of the geological survey of the state commenced in 

 1836. 



