3:74 
- inch to-an inch and a half in diameter in the middle, 
gradually sloping toward each end. ‘There were also 
tubes of serpentine six or eight inches long, large 
chert knives, spear-points, and other things, all 
buried about four feet deep. Between this spot and 
the ocean was another burial-place, where, on the side 
of a declivity, many skeletons were found but eighteen 
inches to two feet below the surface, mingled with 
broken sandstone mortars and pestles, spear-points, 
arrow-heads, etc. 
On the east side of the creek, between a high pre- 
cipitous bluff and the ocean, is a three-cornered tract 
containing about ten acres, which is the site of an old 
rancheria or village. In the midst of this old town 
site I found a burial-place that indicated a somewhat 
more recent race than the first two mentioned. Here 
I exhumed a hundred or more skeletons, and at least 
a ton of relics: consisting of mortars and pestles of 
sandstone, ollas and tortilla stones of crystallized tale, 
pipes and bowls of serpentine, spear-points and arrow- 
heads of chert; also beads and ‘charms,’ and innu- 
merable shell ornaments. 
Last month I again visited this place, and exhumed 
a few more relics. In a spot about four by eight feet, 
and in the shape of a parallelogram, I found fifteen 
skeletons. With one of these were three tubes about 
three inches in length. In shape they were similar 
to the ‘sinkers’ already described, but with raised 
beads in the middle and at each end. These and 
some round beads were manufactured from serpen- 
tine. Beside the specimens mentioned, were many 
small shell disks made from Olivella biplicata. An 
arrow-head was found with another skeleton. About 
three feet from the excavation described, I found 
three more skeletons, one of which was that of a 
child; and with it occurred two stone tubes similar to 
those above mentioned, also three round beads about 
one inch in diameter. The beads and tubes were of 
serpentine, containing seams of chrysolite, and were 
finely polished. With another skeleton, were -five 
arrow-heads finely chipped from chert. One was a 
beautiful specimen with serrated edges, and a por- 
tion of the asphaltum with which it was fastened 
into the arrow still remained. With another, oc- 
curred several ornaments manufactured from Luca- 
pina crenulata, and also an arrow-head. In a spot 
occupying less than fifteen feet in diameter I ex- 
humed forty skeletons, piled one upon another. They 
were buried face downward, and could be counted 
only by the skulls. STEPHEN BOWERS. 
San Buenaventura, Cal. 
The spirifers of the upper Devonian. 
In the prefatory letter of the Report of progress, 
G. 7, of the Second geological survey of Pennsylvania, 
certain statements are made respecting the association 
and order of some of the fossil species of the Devo- 
nian rocks of New York, calling for comment. 
It is stated on p. xx., in regard to Spirifera dis- 
juncta, S. mesocostalis, and S. mesostrialis, that, 
‘‘outside of Pennsylvania, these three species have 
been found, (1) never in any but Chemung rocks; 
(2) confined each to its own-horizon; and (3) always 
in a fixed order from above downwards ;”’ and, on 
p. Xxi., that ‘‘ Professor Hall has never seen any two 
of the three species co-existing in the same stratum; 
. . that he cannot comprehend how S. dj. and S. 
ms. should be found together’ (as they are reported 
to occur on p. 65 of the report). 
Again (p. xxii.) it is stated that ‘‘ Orthis tulliensis, 
in bed 41, § 13, p. 70, has certainly never before been 
seen in the Chemung 2U0’ above the Genesee (i.e., 
SCIENCE, 
a 
= 
[Vou. IIL, No. 6 
300’ above the Tully limestone), nor in company of 
S. mesocostalis.”’ * 
The report of species in such ‘uncanonical’ posi- 
tions in the strata is made a reason for concluding 
(p. xxvi.) that ‘‘ the startling fossil species of this 
report will therefore be regarded by the palaeonto- 
logical reader as only provisionally verified.”’ 
While the statements cited may express the general 
rule as to the occurrence of species in New-York 
state, there are specimens in Cornell university mu- 
seum which do not bear out the statements. 
In the first place, the two species S. mesostrialis 
and S. mesocostalis are found associated in the same 
stratum at Ithaca, N.Y., both in the mesostrialis 
zone and in the mesocostalis zone. Several instances 
can be shown where they occur on the same slab. 
From a higher horizon in New-York state, and 
from several localities, either of these species may 
be found associated with 8. disjuncta; and I have 
obtained each of the three species from the original 
Chemung locality at Chemung Narrows. 
In the museum collection, is a small slab from that 
locality, containing beautiful representatives of S. 
disjuncta and S. mesostrialis ; the latter preserving 
‘the fine radiate striae, with delicate concentric 
cross-lines’ all over the surface of the shell, and with ~ 
‘the broad median fold without a depression,’ which 
are described as distinctive characters of the species 
(Pal. N.Y., vol. 4, p. 243). | 
The other specimen, only a couple of inches dis- 
tant, has the characteristic plications on the median 
fold, and, with a surface equally well preserved, 
shows not the least trace of radiate or concentric 
striae, unmistakably indicating S. disjuncta. 
From the same locality, though not on this indi- 
vidual slab, are specimens of both varieties of the 
so-called S. mesocostalis,— the large, coarse form 
with angular plications and reduplicated fold, and 
the more finely plicated form with prolonged hinge- 
line, which is more characteristic of a lower horizon. 
These higher representatives of S. mesocostalis 
are, however, generally distinguished from the earlier 
representatives by a well-developed median septum 
in the ventral valve, —a character of which only a 
trace is seen in specimens from the Ithaca beds, 
reminding us of the genus Spiriferina. The punctate 
shell-structure of that genus has not, however, been 
detected in any specimens thus far examined. 
In regard to Orthis tulliensis, it may be said that 
the common Orthis, occurring at the base of the 
Ithaca fauna, within a few hundred feet of the Gen- 
esee shale (less than 500), at its first appearance re- 
sembles O. tulliensis in form and general characters ; 
though for distinction it may be appropriate to call 
it a variety of O. impressa, since a little higher, and 
in the same fauna, the typical O. impressa appears 
in abundance. 
Still, there are specimens in the collection from 
the lowest zone which it would be difficult for any 
one to distinguish, by macroscopic or microscopic 
characters, from O. tulliensis, occurring, as they do, 
in a calcareous stratum. 
I have no single slab containing this form with S. 
mesocostalis, but the latter is found both above and 
below the stratum containing the Orthis. | 
The record of an O. tulliensis at 200 feet above 
the Genesee shale in Pennsylvania seems, therefore, 
indicative of a careful identification of the species 
upon morphologic characters alone, without preju- 
dice as to its supposed horizon or range. . 
In regard to the identification of these upper De- 
vonian faunas of Columbia county, Penn., it may 
be said, that in the association of species, and the 
