Contributions to Palaeontology. 



179 



between the faunas of the two extremes, "the Newfound- 

 land rocks have none of the Trilobites, such as Conoce- 

 phalites, Dikelocephalus, Menocephalus, and others 

 which give to a small portion of the Point-Levis series a 

 primordial aspect." 1 



The western species are all from sandstone of well 

 authenticated position and relations with the superincum- 

 bent rocks, but of moderate thickness as compared with 

 the Potsdam and Quebec groups of Cauada, Vermont and 

 Newfoundland ; and we do not yet know the character and 

 fossils of the lowest beds of the formation. It seems to 

 me, therefore, that the comparisons can be more satsifac- 

 torily made after we shall have become more fully acquain- 

 ted with the Quebec and Potsdam species and their 

 stratigraphical relations. If there are any points yet in 

 doubt among these disturbed strata, which can be solved 

 by palaeontological facts, these few species from the West 

 may perhaps offer some aid in the solution. 



I learn from Sir William E. Logan that an important 

 part of these ancient strata in Newfoundland, of the age 

 of the Quebec group, are comparatively undisturbed and 

 highly fossiliferous. Whenever the fossils from these 

 undisturbed strata shall have been studied, together with 

 those from the nearly horizontal sandstones of the Missis- 

 sippi valley, there will be afforded adequate means of making 

 a comparison with the fauna of the disturbed portions of 

 the intermediate country ; and thus doubtless some ques- 

 tions, at present undetermined, will find a solution. 



In comparing the older rocks of New York and of the 

 East generally, with those of the West, it should not be 

 forgotten that there is a long interval on the line of the 

 northern outcrop of these ancient strata, between the St. 

 Lawrence and the western limit of Michigan on the 

 Menomonee river, where we can expect little aid from 

 palaeontology. The fossiliferous beds of these ancient 



1 Geology of Canada, p. 263. 



