REPORT OF THE STATE PALEONTOLOGIST 1899 673 



lower shaly beds of the Niagara group (Rochester shales). These 

 lenses retain, frequently in fine preservation, a fauna in marked 

 distinction to the fauna of the Clinton beds. The fossils are as- 

 sociated species from the Clinton fauna below and the Niagara 

 fauna above, with a considerable number of species not before 

 known in the state of New York but represented heretofore only 

 in the Niagara fauna of the interior states. The problem pre- 

 sented by this very peculiar occurrence is one which requires care- 

 ful consideration and will doubtless prove of much interest in 

 elucidating the origin and mode of distribution of our fossil 

 faunas. The subject was first brought to public notice some 10 

 years ago by Dr E. N. S. Ringueberg of Lockport, who deserves 

 the credit for recording this interesting occurrence at some of the 

 localities observed and for the identification of a considerable 

 number of the species. Though Dr Ringueberg discontinued his 

 study of the problem with a single publication, I have the hope of 

 reenlisting his interest in the topic. 



The graptolite faunas of the lower rocks. In Great Britain and 

 Scandinavia, the variations in the succession and composition of 

 the graptolites in the older faunas have served as a basis of classi- 

 fication of the rock strata. The graptolite faunas of New York 

 have never been fully studied from the point of view of their 

 stratigraphic importance. Dr Ruedemann, who before his con- 

 nection with the museum staff had devoted much time to the 

 careful investigation of the structure of the graptolites and is the 

 author of some important papers bearing on these fossils, has 

 taken up for special investigation the study of the graptolites of 

 New York, their anatomy and geographic and vertical distribu- 

 tion through the rocks. It is a problem of far reaching import- 

 ance and one that will require time and patience for its elucida- 

 tion. Dr Ruedemann's statement concerning his field work on this 

 subject during the past season is given on a following page. 



Areal work and the coloring of topographic sheets. I have com- 

 municated for publication one of the topographic quadrangles 

 colored to represent the distribution of the fossiliferous rocks. 

 This is the Amsterdam sheet prepared by Professors Prosser and 



