University of the State of New York 



New York State Museum 



Frederick J. H. Merrill Director 

 John M. Clarke State paleontologist 



Bulletin 52 April 1902 

 REPORT OF THE STATE PALEONTOLOGIST 1901 



To the Regents of the University of the State of New York 



I have the honor to report herewith on the work of this depart- 

 ment during the year commencing Oct. 1, 1900. 



Operations in the field 1900-1 



Investigation of problems pertaining to the fauna of the Ithaca 

 group of central New York. In my report of last year notice 

 was taken of the fact that the legislature of that year had pro- 

 vided for investigations having special reference to the rela- 

 tions of the Ithaca formation and its fauna to contemporaneous 

 organic and inorganic conditions at the east and west of the 

 central New York area as well as to such conditions as imme- 

 diately preceded and succeeded them in time. As a preliminary 

 step to the solution of the problems involved, which were stated 

 in some fulness in the report referred to, it was essential that 

 extensive collections be made from the fossiliferous strata 

 throughout the various outcrops of this district. For a large 

 part of the season of 1900 this work was carried on, specially 

 in the region from Otsego county westward into the Chenango 

 valley and into the valley of the Tioughnioga river. The 

 material sent in as a result of this work, largely acquired by 

 D. D. Luther, field assistant, was in many respects of high 

 paleontologic interest, not alone in bringing to our attention 

 organic forms hitherto unknown in our rocks, but specially in 

 completing series which clearly point to the fact and the course 

 of development and variation of early species into later. In 



