DAE, as proposed by Burmeister; but it still differs too much in its cephalic shield from both the Paradoxides and Olenus, to belong to either genus. Thus far, and up to September, 1848, no fossil has been discovered in the Taconic rocks, which is common to the Taconic and New York systems. The trilobite and fossils of the geologist of Vermont, (Mr. Adams,) which were found in the lower rocks about Lake Champlain, belong to an intercalated mass of shaly limestone, associated with calciferous sandstone, and is placed only in juxtaposition with the Taconic slates, but is never interlaminated with them, and really belongs to the New York system. I make these remarks upon the fossils because they appear to me to be called for; but I wish it to be fully understood, that the separation of the Taconic rocks from the New York, or Silurian, is called for, and was called for, on grounds far more important than the presence of certain fossils; that evidence is found in the succession and superposition of the two systems, and in the vastness of the Taconic system, compared with the Silurian-the slates of the Taconic system being at least four times as thick as all the members of the Silurian put together. The following communication, addressed to the Association, by Dr. JOHN W. VANCLEVE, of Dayton, Ohio, was then read by the Secretary, accompanied by the exhibition of six sheets of etched illustrations of the new species of zoophytes, described in the paper. To the American Association for the Advancement of Science. For several years past I have employed some portion of my time in preparing a work on the "Fossil Zoophytes of Western Ohio, with a few additions from other western localities," in which all the corals of this region, that have come under my observation, shall be figured and described. I have engraved the figures, chiefly, by etching them upon copper, for printing in letter-press; so that they shall come into the pages of the body of the work, in conjunction with the descriptions. The generic characters, and those of all the species not considered new, have been translated from the work of Goldfuss, the technical description from the Latin being followed by the familiar and more extended observations from the German, with the addition of the localities in this country, and occasional remarks. In describing species believed to be new, the technical description has been fol lowed, as in Goldfuss' work, by other remarks corresponding to those in German. The fossils described having chiefly been found in the vicinity of Dayton, some notice of the various formations in which they occur may be proper. They consist of five successive calcareous deposits, which are exposed at various places within a distance of three miles from the town, all differing very much from each other, in general appearance, texture, colour, and in the fossils which they contain. The lowest, universally called the "Blue Limestone," corresponding with the Lower Silurian, consists of innumerable layers, varying in thickness from less than a fourth of an inch to eight inches or more, with layers of marl of similar varying thickness intervening. It is the only rock which appears at the surface in the south-western corner of Ohio, and the adjoining parts of Indiana and Kentucky. It is principally made up of bivalve shells, but contains numerous corals and fragments of trilobites and orthoceratites. The corals are of the genera Astrea, Anlopora, Ceriopora, Cyathophyllum and Retepora; and none of the species found in this formation have ever yet been found in those above it. The same circumstance is believed to be true with regard to the species of shells. The colour of the fossils is the same as that of the stone in which they are imbedded. Upon the Blue Limestone lies a bed of marl, varying in its thickness, at different points, from ten to sixty feet. It does not include any solid rock, either in layers or fragments; being of the same composition, texture and colour, from top to bottom, although its colour varies a little at different places, at some distance from each other. No fossils have been observed in it. On this bed of marl rests a formation of limestone, usually between twenty and forty feet in thickness, composed of the remains of a great variety of animals, intermixed with semi-crystalline scales. Sometimes, fragments of encrinites constitute almost half the mass. The colour is variable; in some places nearly white, in others reddish, in others dusky brown; but it is most frequently of a wax yellow, and the formation is usually termed the "Yellow Limestone." The fossils found in it, besides the encrinital remains, are chiefly corals, with a very few shells and trilobites. The corals are generally in excellent preservation, differing very little, if at all, in colour and texture, from recent specimens. Their colour is of a bony whiteness, not being influenced by that of the rock in which they occur, whether white, red, brown or yellow. They are of the genera Astrea, Catenipora, Cellepora, Cyathophyllum, Eschara, Favosites, Flustra, Gorgonia, Lithodendron and Retepora. Of these genera, none of the species found in this formation are seen in either of those above or below it, except the Catenipora, Eschara and Gorgonia. The Catenipora is found in the Quarry Limestone, and its impressions, and those of the Gorgonia and two species of Eschara, occur in the Silicious Limestone. Upon the Yellow Limestone rests a formation, which is usually termed the “Quarry Limestone," as, on account of its superior quality, it is almost the only stone quarried in the vicinity for building purposes. It consists of several layers, easily separated from each other, making an aggregate thickness of about four feet, which it is not known to exceed. It is of a light grey colour, and very hard and compact. The fossils which it contains differ but little in colour from the stone, and are so completely enveloped in it, that they are not easily found. The genera that have been observed are Astrea, Catenipora, Favosites, Sarcinula and Syringopora. The species are all peculiar to this formation, except those of the Catenipora, as mentioned before. The Quarry Limestone is covered by a formation of "Silicious Limestone," in which the silicious matter, in fine grains, constitutes about fifteen per centum. The rock has the colour of ashes. It is six or seven feet thick, near Dayton; but as it extends to the north and east, the thickness increases to fifty or sixty feet. It usually contains only the impressions of fossils, the whole substance of the shell or coral having, in most cases, disappeared. The corals, of which impressions are left, belong to the genera Catenipora, Coscinopora, Eschara and Gorgonia. To the last three formations, collectively, DR. LOCKE, in the Ohio Geological Reports, has applied the general designation, " Cliff Limestone." They do not pass imperceptibly into each other, by a gradual alteration of colour, texture and general appearance; but the change is immediate and total, the lines of separation being definitely marked; and the fossil characteristics, with the exceptions already mentioned, are also entirely different. The gravel, in the beds and banks of the streams, and in the neighbouring hills, affords a great variety of fossils. Although the principal part of it is derived from the limestone of the vicinity, a very considerable portion of it is made up of pebbles which have a different origin. These consist of fragments of primary rocks, of all the various kinds seen in the boulders scattered over the country, and of numerous fossiliferous varieties of calcareous and silicious rocks, the fossils of which are generally very different from those found in the limestone of the neighbourhood. They belong to the genera Astrea, Aulopora, Catenipora, Columnaria, Conodictyum, Cyathophyllum, Eschara, Favosites, Gorgonia, Lithodendron, Stromatopora and Syringopora. The following is a List of the Corals, the Plates and Descriptions of which are ready for the Press. Agaricia swinderniana, Goldf., Louisville, Ky. Astrea serradiata, Goldf., gravel, Dayton. 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 porosa, Goldf., gravel, Dayton; Huntington, Ind. prismatica, new species, gravel, Dayton. (Calcareous.) septa, new species, quarry limestone, Dayton. venusta, new species, gravel, Dayton and Presq' Isle Bay. basaltica, new species, gravel, Dayton. madreporacea, new species, Defiance, O. tubulata, new species, yellow limestone, Dayton. Aulopora spicata, Goldf., gravel, Dayton. intermedia? Munster, blue limestone, Dayton. nitida, new species, quarries, Sandusky, O. lata, new species, Louisville, Ky. Catenipora escharoides, Lam., cliff limestone, Dayton. labyrinthica, Goldf., cliff limestone, Dayton. Cellepora verrucosa, new species, yellow limestone, Dayton. Ceriopora multiformis, new series, blue limestone, Dayton. tenuis, new species, blue limestone, Dayton. 99 mammillata, new species, blue limestone, Dayton. orbiculata, new species, blue limestone, Dayton. Columnaria alveolata, Goldf., Dayton; quarries, Madison, Ind. 99 Cyathophyllum picatum, Goldf., blue limestone, Dayton. seratites, Goldf., yellow limestone, Dayton. excentricum, Goldf., Louisville, Ky. 99 99 flexuosum, Goldf., gravel, Dayton; Lake Huron. ,, vermiculare, Goldf., gravel, Dayton. (Silicious.) ,, turbinatum, Goldf., gravel, Dayton; Defiance, O.; Delaware Co., O.; Louisville, K. ,, hypocrateriforme, Goldf., gravel, Dayton. (Silicious.) 99 99 helianthoides, Goldf., yellow limestone, Dayton. caespitosum, Goldf,, gravel, Dayton; limestone, Columbus, Delaware and Sandusky, O.; Madison, Ind.; Louisville, Ky.; Shawneetown, Ill. Cyathophyllum dianthus, Goldf., gravel, Dayton. 99 ananas, Goldf., gravel, Dayton; limestone, Defiance, O. ,, hexagonum, Goldf., gravel, Dayton and Lake Huron; limestone, Sandusky, O., Louisville, Ky., Shawneetown, Ill., and Iowa. visiculosum, Goldf., gravel, Dayton; limestone, Delaware Co., Ohio. 99 secundum, Goldf., gravel, Dayton. Eschara puncta, new species, yellow limestone, Dayton; Louisville. lobata, new species, yellow limestone, Dayton. 99 bipunctata, new species, yellow limestone, Dayton. perforata, new species, yellow limestone, Dayton; Columbus. ,, multifida, new species, yellow limestone, Dayton. ,, ramosa, new species, yellow limestone, Dayton. ,, bifurcata, new species, yellow and silicious limestone, Dayton. ,, canaliculata, new species, gravel, Dayton; Sandusky, O. "compressa, new species, yellow limestone, Dayton. 99 dendroidea, new species, yellow and silicious limestone, Dayton. Favosites alveolaris, Goldf., yellow limestone, Dayton. favosa, Goldf., quarry limestone and gravel, Dayton; Drum- gothlandica, Goldf., gravel, Dayton; Drummond's Island. infundibulifera, Goldf., gravel, Dayton; Lake Huron. polymorpha, Goldf., four varieties, gravel and yellow limestone, Dayton. spongites, Goldf., two varieties, gravel and yellow limestone, Dayton; from Lakes to Natchez. fibrosa, Goldf., two varieties, gravel and yellow limestone, Dayton. |