416 University of Kansas Geological Survey. 



establish beyond a doubt the presence of chalk in America. 

 This was furnished by a specimen from Kansas and reported as 

 Kansas chalk. In the same year Professor Patrick, of the State 

 University, presented a paper upon the subject before the 

 Kansas Academy of Science, in which he asserted his belief that 

 organic remains were not present, the deposit being formed 

 merely by the chemical precipitation of calcium carbonate. 



Later, in 1882, W. S. Bunn, a student in the University, 

 found, under high magnification, definitely formed bodies. This 

 led Professor Patrick to withdraw from his former position, 

 and to ascribe the formation of Kansas chalk to the same 

 agencies as were instrumental in the production of English 

 chalk. At the meeting of the Kansas Academy of Science in 

 1882, Professor Patrick again spoke upon the subject, and 

 described in detail the appearance of the forms first observed by 

 Mr. Bunn. By the use of a higher power than any formerly 

 employed by him, he was able to make out the structure of the 

 different forms. These he described as circular and oblong 

 bodies, marked by dark spots variously arranged, and as long 

 rod-like bodies, having no apparent structure. Remains of 

 Foraminifera were probably not observed, as no mention was 

 made of them. 



The next account of the subject appears in a paper by Dr. S. 

 W. Williston, read before the Kansas Academy of Science in 

 1890. By him the true character of the forms described by the 

 other investigators was recognized, and in addition he detected 

 the presence of Foraminifera and sponge spicules. The most 

 abundant variety of the Foraminifera was ascribed to the genus 

 Textularia, but no specific determinations were made. The pur- 

 pose of the present paper is, so far as possible with the material 

 at hand, to complete the researches thus begun ; to determine 

 specifically the organisms represented in the deposits ; and to 

 ascertain if there is any variation in the number or species of 

 the different beds. 



Since the character of the results depends very much upon 

 the methods of investigation, a brief account of those employed 

 in the present research may not be inappropriate. Heretofore, 



