Palseontological Discoveries In and 
Near Kansai^ City, Mo. 
By David H. Todd. 
[Continued.] 
Having left, in our former article, the 
Crinoitl, we now come to the MOL- 
1>USCA: PoLYZOA, 
Our rocks here teach that the difterent 
families of the Polyzoa grew abundantly, 
leaving many beautiful imprints of their 
fine and delicate net work for our study. 
The student will iind this very interest- 
ing and profitable. Some of the species 
are so delicate in structure that the aid 
of a magnifying glass is needed to show 
the beauty of the poriferous and minute 
projecting points. The exact identifica- 
tion of the different species will require 
much study, and be found very entertain- 
ing. Of this family, and noticable in our 
rocks, is the Fenestella, represented by 
several species. The most common is 
F. shumardi. Two species of the 
Pohjpora are found but not in abund- 
ance, and classed among the rare forms 
of fossils. Also syv.ocladia. We now 
pass to the Brachiopoda. This division 
of our study is quite extensive and pre- 
sents a large numbi rof interesting Genera 
and species; one of the rarest forms be- 
ing the Lingula. The n)OSt prolific and 
abundant are the Athyris and several 
forms or species of the Productus. Of 
which we find some seven or eight 
species. They will be recognized by 
the little nodes on the shell where the 
spines grow, indicating that thej^ were 
well protected, if the spines were of val- 
ue as a means of defense; also having 
two valves, the dorsal valve being flat- 
tened, the upper, ventral valve, rounded 
or raised surface, connected by what is 
called a hinge. Some of the common 
forms of Productus were ver}' pro- 
lific, as is shown by our rocks. There 
is scarcely any of our rocks, from the 
highest to the lowest, but you will find 
in it some, if not all of the species of 
P. nehrcifcensis. P. longispinus or P. sem- 
ireticulattis, while Productus punctatus 
and P. corra being the largest and finest, 
are found sparingly, thougVt in our 
Ofiliteand white limestone, some beau- 
tiful examples of these two genera have 
been obtained. Productits prattem'anus, 
P. costatus and P. pertenuis aj'e seldom 
met with. Chonetes^ Crthis. Hemiprone- 
tes. Meekella, Syntrilasma, Retzia^ Spir- 
ifer cameroMis , 8. inartinia, and Sperif- 
frina kentuckensis, and Terehratula 
hovidens are all found in more or less 
degree of abundance. The genus and 
family of the Lamellihranchiata is the 
largest and presents the greatest number 
of species of any belonging to our rocks. 
The specimens obtained from the Oolite 
are by far the finest. In many instan- 
ces they are so perfect as to look like a 
recent shell. However, of late years 
the best localities have been exhausted, 
and but few are to be had. 
In these wonderful productive families 
we find Lima, EntoUwn. several species 
of Avictulopecten, Aviculopinna , Pinna 
Avicula. Pseudonionotis, Myalina: some 
three or four species of Nucula, Micula- 
na, Macrodon, Schizodns^ Pleuropho- 
rus, Edmondia; several species of Al- 
lorisma, Prothyris, anOi Lolenopsis. The 
Gasteropoda of the fossils represent- 
ed in this group are much sought fitter 
by collectors, owing to their intei'esting 
and striking effect in any collection. 
The Pleutomaria is represented by the 
largest number of species. Of this fami- 
ly of spiral shells. Some handsome 
specimens are obtained, while never 
found in abundance. 'J"he collector is 
often rewarded by finding one or the 
other of these beautiful shells; Di'nta- 
liinn, Euomphalus, Bellfrophon. Several 
species of the most common foi-ms are 
B. percarinatvs, and P. corassus, Platy- 
ceras, Macroclmlus, Aclis. The Mur- 
chisonin are obtained sparingly, though 
in most cases in the blue shale or flist 
rock overlying the blue shale along the 
blnft. 
We now come to the Cephalopoda, the 
highest order of the MOLLUSCA. luid 
are known as the Orthoceras, Nautilus 
and Goniotites. They will be recognized by 
the chambers or cells which nie divided 
into regular spaces and are highlj' prized 
by collectors everywhere. But few fields, 
if any. present as large a variety of sj^e- 
cies as are found here. Of the Kmitilus 
s(ime thirteen or fourteen species have 
been obtained and three species of 6on>- 
tttites. The largest of the Nautilus is the 
ponderosus; measiu'ingeigli!een(18)lnchrs 
in diameter. Eev. Dr. Bennett, of Kansas 
City, Kas. has two noble examples of this 
species. However, some doubt seems to 
exist in the minds of Palfcontologists. 
and Dr. White in Hayden's •'Geological 
Survey of Nebraska," says that this shell 
seems to be nearly related to Navtihts 
tuherosus of McCoy, as figured in his 
"British Palfezoic Fossils." Prof. JMc 
Chesney also describes his large type 
specimens as N. ilUnoiscnsis from Tja- 
Salle, Illinois. However, from the nnni. 
ber of specimens ffrmid here ve ill be 
able to settle the matter definately in 
some of our future state Reports. j\Fis- 
souri having just emerged fi-om her 
long slumber, and appointed a Geolog- 
ical Survey of whom much will be 
looked foi-. especially in the direction 
of naming and classifying our fossils. 
We now come to the very intei esting and 
highly coveted fossils under the ARTIC- 
ULATA : CrustacE/^ , embracing the dif- 
ferent divisions in the Pala^zoic Cm sta- 
CEA, however we do not posess as large 
a number as are found in other places, 
but what we do find are very interest- 
ing and in a good condition. The Phil- 
lipsia major, comifionly called Trilolrite 
is found quite frequently, especially in 
some of our Oolite and bine limestone. 
However, perfect sjiecimens aie very 
rare ; while the finding of the head and 
pygidium separated is quite common in 
the same rock. The head or frontal 
is oval, with two spines l umiing back to 
the pygidium. The pygidium has what 
is called three lobes, arched and gradu- 
ally tapering to the end. The Trilohite 
is a very interesting fossil, and when 
found \\ hole, is considered a great prize, 
always commanding good exchanges 
for other rare fossils. They are ob- 
tained straight, partly rolled, or com- 
pletely like a ball. Of the Fishes, we 
have abundant evidence that they shared 
a portion of otu- waters. Quite a mmi- 
ber of teeth are to be had in the Oolite, 
Of those obtained are Xystrodus. Del- 
todus. Chomatodus, Poripristis, Petalodus 
Diplodus, Cladodvs and ofheis. Coal 
Measure insects of this locality as well 
as others, are extremely rare. The only 
indication we have here of these is in the 
blue shale, of which only two represen- 
tations have been discovered. Both were 
obtained by Mr. Hare, and sent to ISIr. E. 
D. I.acoe, of Pittston, Pa., who has 
made a specialty of Coal Measure In- 
sects, and has left nothingundone, spend- 
ing time and n^oney in getting eveiy- 
thing obtainable in this direction. 
The shale of this locality should be 
closely watched that nothing shall be 
lost. Also ivhere fossil plants are found, 
as the tw o are generally f< und associat- 
ed together. 
Power of Vision in Vespidae. 
By Samuel H. Scuddek. 
One dav in the middle ot July, while 
confined by illness to my tent on the sum- 
mit of the Roan Mountains, Col., I was 
able to watch at lei«ine the operations of 
a couple of wasps which had entered the 
tent and were searching for flies along 
the tent roof. The tent was an ordinary 
wall tent, 10 ft. x 12 ft., where, lying up- 
on his back, the observer might readily 
follow all the movements of these creat- 
ures. There were also in the tent j^erhaps 
a dozen or twenty flies, mostly' collected 
near the ridge pole, especially, when not 
in flight, alighting upon a rope which 
stretched fiom one of the upright poles 
supporting the tent to the other, just be- 
low the ridge pole. The wasps were in 
incessant motion, and in the course of 
one morning were seen to capture only 
three or four flies, the flies being usually 
able to dodge them whenever an attack 
upon them was made, I was unable to 
see that a wasp accelerated its motion in 
the least wheti approaching the flies or 
directed its flight immediately upon 
them until within two or three inches of 
its intended victim : and as it often passed 
one at no greater distance than this with- 
out any attempt at capture, the impress- 
ion was strong that the wasp's distinct 
vision while in flight did not exceed this 
distance. But what was most surprising 
was the great number of mistakes made 
by the wasps. Every slight stain or de- 
fect in the canvas or minute shadow upon 
it was repeatedly attacked by the wasps 
as if they supposed it to be a suitable ob- 
ject for food. There seemed to be no power 
