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| 18784} Discolored Waters of the Gulf of California. 85 
Dr. Hayden visited the locality of Mr. Lucas’ excavations, and 
informs me that the formation from which the Camarasaurus was 
_ obtained, is the Dakota. Prof. Marsh has attempted to identify 
what is, according to Prof. Mudge, the same horizon, one hundred 
miles north of Canyon City, with the Wealden of England. 
Specimens from the northern locality which I have examined 
render it certain that the horizon is that of Mr. Lucas’ excava- 
tions. Of this I may say that there is no palzontological evi- 
dence of its identity with the Wealden. The resemblance of the 
vertebrate fossils to those of the English Oolite is much greater, 
but not sufficient as yet for identification. 
The discovery of Vertebrata in the strata of the Dakota epoch 
is an important addition to the geology and palzontology of 
North America. Credit is due to Superintendent O. W. Lucas 
for this discovery, and also in an especial manner for the skill and 
care he has exercised in taking out and shipping the ponderous 
specimens. 
20% 
THE DISCOLORED WATERS OF THE GULF OF CALI- 
FORNIA. 
BY THOS. H. STREETS, M.D., U. S.-N. 
NE of the earliest names given by the old Spanish navigators 
to the body of water that lies between the peninsula of Lower 
= California and the western coast of Northern Mexico was the 
- Vermilion sea. It was also known in the earlier times as the Mar 
_ de Cortez, and Mar Laurentano; or the Mar Vermiglion, Mar 
Rojo, and Mar Vermijo, on account of the reddish color of its 
3 -= waters; and more recently as the Mar, or Gulfo, de California. 
The names Vermiglion, Vermijo, and Rojo seem to have been 
_ applied as early as between the years 1537 and 1540, after the 
= explorations of Ulloa and Alarcon, and from the accounts given 
_ of it by Nuño de Guzman and his officers, who were the con- 
= querors and rulers of Sinaloa, a state bordering on the gulf. 
In all these narratives, however, it is well to note that two 
entirely distinct causes of discoloration are confounded. Father 
_ Consag and Ugarte, in particular, speak of the brick-colored cor- 
_rosive water of the gulf-head, which is altogether different from 
the more vermilion-colored patches at the mouth of the gulf, 
which were, doubtless, what suggested the name Vermilion sea. 
