'893-] 47 [Upham. 
Bank about a dozen fossiliferous fragments have been obtained, contani- 
ing more than twenty-five distinct species of shells. Among these one 
of the most abundant is a large thick bivalve (Isocardia) much resem- 
bling Cyprina Islandica in form, but differing in the structure of the 
hinge. This is not known living. Mya tmncata, EnsateMa Americana, 
and the genuine Crjprina are also common, together with a large Natica, 
a Cyclocardia (or Venericardia) allied to C. Borealis (Con.), lint with 
smaller ribs, Cardium Tslandicum, and also various other less common 
forms. These fragments came from various parts of the bank, including 
the central part, in depths varying from 3.5 to 70 fathoms, or more. 
From Banquereau, N. S., we received one specimen of similar rock, 
containing abundant fragments of a large bivalve, and about a dozen 
other species, among which are Fusus (Chrysodomus) decemcoxtatvs, 
Latirns a?6?<s Jeff. (?), unknown species of Turritella, etc. From the 
Grand Bank two similar specimens were received. One of these, from 
thirty-tive fathoms, lat. 44° 30', long. 50° 15', contained numerous speci- 
mens of Cyprina Islandica in good preservation. 
At present it appears probable that these fragments have been de- 
tached from a very extensive submerged Tertiary formation, at least 
several hundreds of miles in length, extending along the outer banks, 
from off Newfoundland nearly to Cape Cod, and perhaps constituting, in 
large part, the solid foundations of these remarkable sul)marine ele- 
vations. 
The collections here described, belonging to the U. S. Fish 
Commission, are under Professor Verr ill's care in the Yale Uni- 
versity museum ; but no further investigation of them has been 
made. It has been my hope to secure another similarly large col- 
lection and to give it attentive study, but other duties have pre- 
vented this. Though the fishermen doubtless now draw up on 
their lines as many of these specimens of the bed-rocks of the 
banks as they did fifteen years ago, most of them are immediately 
thrown away and fewer are brought ashore than at that time 
when the work of the Fish Commission in Gloucester stimulated a 
worthy rivalry among the ca2)tains and fishermen to bring in 
everything zoological or geological which might possibly be of 
scientific interest for the Fish Commission. Visiting Gloucester 
during a few days hi the summer of 1890, my only opportunity 
for this collecting within recent years, I was able to obtain only a 
few specimens of these fossiliferous rocks, chiefly through dona- 
tion by Dr. Thomas Connnt and Mr. Everett P. Wonson of that 
city, half of whicli I have transmitted for these donors to the 
