and as thick as a line. The colour is brownish-black. B is a conical shaped cavity in the mass, 3 inches deep, and 3-10ths of an inch in diameter, in which one of these fragments has been. F is another cavity, with a diameter of 2-10ths of an inch. C is a circular opening, disclosing a fragment of the same portion of a Belemnite, 3-10ths of an inch across, and having a central tube 1-10th of an inch in diameter; the colour is black. Immediately alongside of E, is a compressed cavity, in which may be seen the central tube, 3-10ths of an inch long, and 1-20th in diameter; the colour white. In several parts of this mass may be seen the fossil remains of shells, but they are too much decayed to be recognised. The above remains of Belemnite fragments are clustered at various angles, but all having a general direction of the anterior extremities towards what was the surface of the conglomerate in situ.

Specimen No. 2.-This is a mass of yellowish-red ferruginous sand of the size of 2 by 2 inches, enclosing the fossil remains of portions (No. 3) of five Belemnites. They are of a bluish-black colour, and of a vitreous lustre, and are about 3-10ths of an inch in diameter. M shows the accuminated posterior termination. C exhibits a small portion of the external surface of the skeleton. a longitudinal, white, central seam, but no central tube. All these are filled with a crystalline, mineral matter, of either a fibrous or lamellar structure, the fibres being stellated.

R has

Specimens No. 3.—Here are three several fragments of the same portions of Belemnites, imbedded in the like sand. A is 2 inches long, and has a diameter of half an inch. The crystals are dark, bluish-black at one end, and ochreous-brown at the other. B is 1 inch and 3-10ths long, and 4-10ths of an inch in diameter, and is bluishblack throughout. C is 8-10ths long, and is fractured longitudinally, displaying the internal crystallization, and showing it to be lamellar; this fragment, therefore, probably belonged to portion No. 2, of the above division of the Cephalopodes.

Specimens No. 4.-Two isolated fossilized portions of No. 3 of Belemnites, both having the accuminated posterior terminations, but M having it most perfectly. O is encrusted with the ferruginous sand which has been removed from M. They are, respectively, about 2 inches long, and half an inch in diameter. The colour outside, ochreous-brown; the crystallization is lamellar distinct concretions, of a bluish-black colour.

Specimens No. 5.-Two fossilized, isolated portions of Belemnites, that have fallen out of the sand; they are 2 inches and 8-10ths long,

and 4-10ths to 5-10ths in diameter. The colour, dark bluish-black. N shows the accuminated posterior termination of portion No. 3, and one of the chambers of portion No. 2, at the other extremity. The crystallization of portion No. 2 is lamellar, and that of No. 3 is fibrous; the fibres radiating from the centre of the fossil.

Specimens No. 6.-These are fragments of fossilized portions of part No. 3. The colour and crystallization resemble those of specimens No. 5. The termination of A shows the stellated structure to perfection. D are twin fossils.

Specimens No. 7.-Here are eight fragments of the same portions of the skeleton, in various states of preservation. A exhibits a small part of portion No. 2. All these specimens are referable to the Cephalopodes Belemnosephia, the fragments of portions No. 2 and 3 of which have been denominated "Belemnites." It is probable that the portion No. 1 was more fragile, as more of them are found at Mullica Hill.

We come now to speak of a different kind of fossil.

Specimens No. 8-Are two crystallized masses of a conchoidal shape; one of them 2 and 3-10ths by 1 and 1-10th inches, the other 2 and 4-10ths by 1 and 7-10ths inches. The general figure is concavo-convex, and the appearances indicate that they emanated from bivalve shells. The colour is bluish-black, the crystallization lamellar, fasciculated, the bundles radiating; or lamellar and lanceolate, the lances stellated.

Specimens No. 9.-Three similar to No. 8, only of smaller dimen

sions.

Specimens No. 10.-Six fragments where the glabrous texture of the former shell is preserved. Colours, brown, blue, and cinerous. Specimen No. 11.—The cast of a fossil Grypha. Colour, brown. Specimen No. 12.-The fossil remains of an Ostrea; same colour as the last.

Numerous casts and fossils, such as the two last, are found at Mullica Hill, which enhance the probability that Specimens 8, 9, and 10, emanated from bivalves.

Specimens No. 13.-Groups of crystals, the fasciculated and concentric structure imparting an alated appearance. Sometimes the wings are so fascicled as to make the mass reticulated.

Specimens No. 14.-More varieties of the same.

Specimens No. 15.-Adnate and single crystals, showing the lamellar, lanceolate and filiform structure, and metallic colour.

Upon an examination, the mineral was found to be phosphate of iron.

From a comparison of these specimens, it is apparent that the "congeries of small needles," described by Dr. Thompson as radiating from the centre of the fossilized Belemnite, are not the true crystal of the mineral substance (diphosphate of iron), as he supposed, but are due to the former structure of portion No. 3, of the Cephalopodes.

When crystallization takes place in any of these fossils, except the portion No. 3, of the Cephalopodes, these congeries do not make their appearance. But I admit, that from the apex of the fossil remains of the bivalve shells, there is a tendency in the bundles of lamellar and lanceolate crystals to radiate, as may be seen in Nos. 8, 9, and 10.

In cases of the fossil remains of portions No. 2, of the Cephalopodes, wherever the mineral substance has had space sufficient to crystallize freely, the fibrous figure is lost in the lamellar structure. See No. 3, C.

At the time that the animals, whose fossil remains are now there found, were living inhabitants of Mullica Hill, the iron was disseminated in the ferruginous sand. As these animals, after dissolution, surrendered their phosphoric acid, it combined with the iron and water, forming the diphosphate of iron; and as the operations of decomposition and transmission were gradual, it is natural that the new mineral should take the structure and form of the former animal substance.

Phillips, in his Mineralogy, p. 210, speaking of blue iron (phosphate of iron), says, that in Siberia it is found in fossil shells, but he does not describe its crystallization.

The second paper read, was

ON THE IDENTITY OF THE ATOPS TRILINEATUS AND THE TRIARTHRUS BECKEI (GREEN), WITH REMARKS UPON THE ELIPTOCephalus AsaPHOIDES. BY PROFESSOR E. EMMONS.

After the question of the identity of the two fossils had been reported upon by a committee of this Association, it may appear superfluous to bring up the subject again before this body; but inasmuch as a few individuals still maintain the opinion adverse to that expressed by the committee, and as other specimens, more perfect, have since come into my possession, I deem it proper to call the attention

of the Association once more to the question. In doing this, however, I shall not attempt to answer formally the objections to the report of the committee, but proceed directly to describe the two fossils indicated. The accompanying figures will aid me in conveying a correct idea of the strongly marked differences which they exhibit.

1. Description of the Atops Trilineatus.

CRUST-granulated; CEPHALIC shield semicircular, with the anterior and lateral edges turned upwards; posterior angles rounded; length and breadth of the shield as 1 to 3; glabella slightly narrowed, and turned upward anteriorly; divisions 4 or 5, and unequal; the 4th division is marked by a sulcus, which runs obliquely downward and backward, and meeting in the median line or axis; the posterior division runs parallel with the ribs, or rings of the body, and has one protuberance upon the median line. FACIAL SUTURE-EYES; cheek shields, rounded at the posterior angles. BODY composed of 17 or 18 rings, which become narrow toward the caudal extremity; axis narrower than the lateral lobes; rings 17, and which are separated by a groove about as wide as the ring itself, and marked by a row of spinous points upon their median line; lateral lobes or ribs, 18, jointed; the first, or anterior, corresponds with the divisions of the glabella; axis of the lateral lobes marked by a strong prominence, which becomes obsolete toward the tail; rings grooved by a single and simple sulcus, which runs directly outward, but which suffers a slight interruption at the axial prominence: the caudal shield is composed of one ring, and bordered by a flat expansion of the crusts.

2. Description of the Triarthrus Beckei.

Crust smooth, semicircular parabolic, bordered by a slightly thickened edge, traversed by a groove; posterior groove terminated in a point, which turns inward, and which extends beyond the base; height and breadth as 1 to 2. Glabella rectangular on three sides, and rounded only anteriorly; length and breadth equal; dimensions 4, and marked by three oblique lines, which run from the border downwards, the last only meeting in the median line: body composed of 12 or 13 rings, whose width is one-third greater than that of the lateral lobes; spinous-like points mark the median line or axis; lateral lobes composed of 12 or 13 rings; rings marked by an oblique furrow running from the upper and inner angle to the opposite lobe and outer angle, and by a short direction, which, if continued, would intersect the other near the middle of the rib or joint;

C

caudal shield composed of four or five rings, and bordered by a thickening of the crust, which are marked by fine lines.

Observations.

From the foregoing descriptions, it will be observed that the proportions of the two fossils are quite different. These differences begin with the cephalic shield, and extend to the tail; not only affecting the major parts, but extending also to the minor parts, in many minute details. The dissimilarity, in fact, is so great, that I am quite unwilling to regard them even as belonging to the same genus. In the paleontology of New York, parts of the same fossil, which I have called the Atops Trilineatus, are described as the Triarthrus Beckei, or rather as Calymone Beckei. I am not, therefore, in fault, as regards the specimens from which the foregoing description has been drawn.

Remarks upon the Eliptocephalus Asaphoides.

The Eliptocephalus, although acknowledged a new and different species from any that had been described previous to the publication of the Taconic system, has been referred to the genus OLENUS. This view of the fossil, if sustained, does not affect the validity or stability of this system. Still, convinced as I am of the dissimilarity of the genera, I must avail myself of this opportunity to reassert my claim to the genus.

The Olenus has 14 joints, but the fragment of the body of the Eliptocephalus has 15 or 16 visible; and we may conclude, from appearances, that 4 or 5 are broken off; making, probably, in all, 20 joints. In this respect it is closely allied to Paradoxides. The Olenus has an axis only one-fourth the breadth of the body, while the axis or middle lobe of the eliptocephalus is nearly equal to the lateral lobes. The axis, again, of the Olenus, and of the Paradoxides also, is strong and prominent, while in the Eliptocephalus it is only slightly elevated, the distinction between the middle and lateral lobes is quite obscure and imperfect. Again, the cephalic shield is about twice as wide as high, in the Eliptocephalus, while in the Olenus it is three times as broad as high, and the glabella is only one-fourth as wide as the shield.

There are no divisions of the glabella of the Eliptocephalus, as indicated in the paleontology of New York, but on the shield there is a strong elliptical elevation, which furnishes the name to the fossil. So the margin is not reflexed as in Olenus. In conclusion, I may remark that the Eliptocephalus may belong to the family of the OLENI