REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR 1904 



^5 



the study of the fossil Crinoidea, and during tht time he was in 

 this office good progress was made in the analysis and descrip- 

 tion of the material. The study has shown a (onsiderable num- 

 ber of forms heretofore unknown to science and when all is 

 brought together it is believed that it will emboty a substantial con- 

 tribution to the paleontology of New York. 



Stratigraphy 



The details of the stratigraphic work done in western New 

 York during the field season of the prevous year have been pre- 

 pared for publication largely by D D. Luther, i. e. the determi- 

 nations and explanations of the vVaikins-Elmira and the Tully 

 quadrangles. 



Ecot^ nic geology 



Fire tests of building P ones - Prof - Heinrich Ries of Ithaca 

 has been invited to unde- ake a series of investigations to establish 

 the resistance to heat c tne building stones of the State. Samples 

 of various stones h v ' e been collected from the different parts 

 of the State part 1 w * tn tne object of covering as many varie- 

 ties as possible-' 11 ^ P art b T to secure specimens showing a wide 

 range of phy-^ characters. These have been cut down to the 

 uniform cub required for the fire test, i. e. into 3 inch cubes hav- 

 ing smoo" faces so that any slight disintegration as a result of 

 the tes<-~ an ^ e more readily seen. 



■Q r x<ies reports that he has in hand samples of the following 



„„,i known standard construction stones : Pochuck mountain, 

 w 



orange co., coarse grained granite ; Garrison, fine grained gran- 

 ite ; Peekskill, granite (used in construction of Croton dam); 

 Nyack, trap rock ; Sandy Hill, sandstone ; Keeseville, gabbro ; 

 Potsdam, sandstone; Clayton, coarse grained and fine grained 

 granite; Little Falls, sandstone and gneiss; Canajoharie, limestone; 

 Northville, granite ; Amsterdam, sandstone ; Medina, sandstone ; 

 Warsaw, sandstone ; Oxford, sandstone ; with a few other locali- 

 ties not yet reported. It is proposed to test these stones at a red 

 heat and a very dull red, the stone in each case being cooled 

 both slowly and fast. It is furthermore proposed to heat the 

 stones unevenly, that is so that one half of the cube will be 

 protected while the other is heated well and a stream of water 

 directed against this. This will tend to set up uneven stresses 

 through the stone. In addition to the fire test proper, composition, 



