KENT SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTE. (Miscelaxneou Papers —No. 8) Note upon the Fossit Itemains of the Lower Carbonfferous Limestone Exposed at Grand Rapids, Mich., IIlY 1. A. A. 9 T It 0 N( A. [The following remarks upon the lea;ling fossils found in place at Grand Rapids, Mich., have been printed solely for home use and with a view first to stimulate and guide local collections, and secondly to furnish the basis of some observations upon the co-ordination of our strata with the wellknown western divisions of the Lower Carboniferous rocks. To accomplish the former of these objects, it seemed desirable to determine, as far as possible, label, andl lisplay our more common fossil species; to draw up and publish a catalogue of the same, with such notes as would be useful to collectors; ald to describe, under loc'al and plrovisional names, such forms as could not Ihe brought within the linlits of recognized species. The author is aware how severely andl how justly work of this last-named sort is cortf demned by systenmitists as irregular and confising, but IIH would urge that it is not les a source of conlfusion to inclu(le really heterogeneous material un(ler o!;e termn, or to extend the al)lplicationl of a specific name without at the same time extending the diagnuois of the species. He would also urge that fairly well-preserved fo)sil, are rare in our rocks, that a collector sees certain characteristics in a specimen which can never be made to appear again, and esl)ecially that the effects of distortion upon fossils can be appreciated only!by one who has seen them in place. As an example of this lastnamnad uOurce of error, No. 47, of the followilng list is often found with the axis of the shell at righlt atlgles to the plane o(f stratification, in which case the length is often hardly greater than the heitht of the form, although no evidence of distortion cai)u be detected in the foassil itself. Tie author purposes to continue this local list in another paper, and to follow the whole with some notes upon the stratigraphical geology of Kent County. All measurements which occur in the follwiing list are given In millimeters. 2 Fish teeth and spines are found sparsely scattered thkrough all the strata above the "geode bed." No#. 1-4. These are our more common forms of fish teeth. No. 4 appears to be Helodus erenukaus. Besides the above, Psammodu.:-like teeth have been observed, though most of our specimens can be referred to the genus Helodus. Nos. 2 and 4 have been found associated with No. 9. No. 5. CUdodus irregularis (n. sp.):-Teeth of medium size, with a somewhat thin and narrow base more than usually irregular in surface and outline, surmounted by six cones, the height of the central one being a mean between the length and breadth of the base. Base Irregularly convex in front (almost straight for the middle third) sloping backward to the bevelled and rather thin posterior border, which is irregular in outline, broadest on the side of the tooth which has fewest denticles, and having a slight sinus opposite the middle cone. The lower surface is slightly excavated beneath the median cone, and more strongly in the central portion and at the ends. Median cone nearly straight, very slightly bent forward at base, then backward, then forward at tip; upper and lower portion elliptical in section, the middle portion somewhat flattened in front; surface irregularly striated with four to six rnther sharp stripe to the mm., which are less strongly marked and finally disappear at the base, the two striae at the sides of the middle portion being very prominent. Lateral cusps conical, overhanging the anterior margin, three upon one side and two upon the other, turned forward, except the large exterior denticle upon one side which is strongly turned outward and backward, the corresponding external denticle upon the other side wanting in all specimens, and, apparently, not accidentally. Three specimens found from No. 3, Taylor's quarry, one of which yields the following measurements: Total height. 29; height of median cone, 24.7; height of external denticle, 4.9; of others, about 2; average thickness of base, 3.6; length of base, 81.4; breadth of base, 17.8. No. 8. This has been referred to CUt-luicnthus grtcillimnus, N. and W., which it strongly remmnbles, except ill the generic character, "pectination by transverse scales or tubercles." No. 9. Fragments of a stouter, straighter form which is more common than No. 8, lnear Leonard street bridgte and Taylor's quarry. No. 10. Ctenancnthu.s (?) —Spine thick, stout, ilearly straight, 99.4 long, of which about 06.4 is exposed; 13.5 widle at base; 12.4 at the mihddle. and 7.9 at the listance of one-fourth the lellgth from the end, which is obtu.ely rounded. Greatest thickness in the middle of tile exlosedl portioll, 5.6 mnm; width of implanted portion, 7.2 at middle, the end being rolunded and broader anl thicker than the other extremity; anterior margin, sllarlp. ex 3 posed portion slightly convex in outline,'and implanted part concave; posterior margfh nearly straight in outline with a conspicuous sulcus about 2.5 mm. deep at the middle, bordered by ridges which bear numerous minute rounded or subconical tubercles, directed somewhat downward, aboa:t 1 mm. apart, the breadth of base and height of tubercle being each about 1-8 mm.; surface, convex, with unequal, obscure, longitudinal ridges which are either persistent or disappear irregularly and increase by implantation or division, upon and between which are finer strive, giving a fibrous appearance to the whole. In its straight lower margin and triangular section this spine resembles C. triangultri~s, Newb., but it is notably different in other respects. (;labelle and pygidia of a species of PhiUipsia apparently distinct from the one described below are found in the lower strata of this formation, but are in too poor condition for identification. The following species is described from three nearly complete individuals from Scribner's quarry and the river below Leonard street bridge, and a few fragment. from Taylor's quarry. No. 14. PhiUipsia longispinn, (n. sp.)-Outline elongated elliptical, sides nearly straight, ends evenly rounded; head, thorax and pygidium nearly equMa in breadth. Glabella with posterior lobes small, anterior moderately large, evenly convex. without margin; facial suture nearly as in P. Portlodkii; neck segment about as wide as the thoracic, and continued backward in a narrow spine which extends beyond the thorax and is applied so closely to it as not to interfere with the elliptical outline; neck furrow shallow, curving backward strongly and terminating at the lateral furrows of the cheeks. T4orax and plygidliuin much as in P. Portlockii except that the border of the latter is very broad, equaling in breadth the lateral lobes. One specimen from Scribner's quarry yields the followilg measurements: Length, 44.4; of head, 15.3; of thornax, 12.1;'breadth of head, 21.2; of thorax, 21.9; of Iygidlium, 20.4. No. 18. Nautiluts diilformis (?) M. and W.-Two specimens, one badly weathered from a corllar-West Bide-the other a fragment from a bed of Coldblrook, hIave beelt referred iprovisionally to this species. No. 20. Nautilus Sl)? —Fragments of three individuals showing the chamblered portion, fronu Taylor's quarry, of the type of V. tatue and N. Winlo01wi, M. and W., lbut probably sleciflcally distinct. Dorso-ventral diameter at first septum, 22 mm.; transverse diam, 68 mm.; septa distant about one-tenth the tranm. diam; a broad obscure dorsal sulcus. Has been ktIowi locally as N. (?) llitinsiems. 4 No. 22. Nautilu delipticu, (n. sp.)-Much resembling N. Porbeeanus, McChesney, and N. Bpectabilis M. and W., but having an aperture almost truly elliptical, one and a half times as high as wide, the section becoming more circular as the diameter decreases and expanding very rapidly as it passes from the septate to the non-septate portion, which latter is not no(lose. This species is not rare at Taylor's quarry; is associated with zaphrentis spinulifera. No. 28. Nautilus Kentonsie, (n. sp.)-The form locally known by this name cannot be referred to any. species known to me. The last whorl is much like N. Niotensei, M. and W., but as the shell expands the dorsal region becomes more prominent and sharply curved, which with the flat. tened ventral side gives a triangular appearance to the section; transverse and dorso-ventral diameters subequal; breadth of chambers, one-fourth to one-flfth the diameter. Same locality as above, and possibly a distorted form of the preceding. No. 25. Orthoceras sp?-Fragments of questionable identity, Coldbrook. No. 8()0. Bellerophon sp?-Somewhat resembles B. ellpticus McChesney, fr6m the coal measures, but has a less expanded aperture and less prominent ridges; rarely found at all localities above the upper dam. No. 81-32. Casts of two or three other species are associated with the above, one of which resembles B. nauti/oides, Winchell, from the Marshall group, except in its larger size. No. 33. PorceUia nodoua, Hall.-Two fragments of questionable identity with the above, Taylor's quarry. No. 84. Euompludus wrqyonso, Hall.-Casts and ill-prewrved fragments are found at nearly all localities, not in a condition for idlentification. A few which partially retain the shell seem to me not (listinguishable from the above coal measure species. No. 86. E. sltus. Ialla.-Taylor's quarry, lower beds. No. 86. E. planodorsatus, M. and W.-I have a memorandum concerning a specimen of unknown locality agreeing with the figure and deacription of the above species, lbut I cannot now flnd the specimen. No. 37. Casts of a small, moderately elevated shell of three ('1) whorls sometimes weather out of the "arena.eous layer" at. Wells' and Taylor's quarries. No. 38. This form lha bewen referredl t Pleurotomaria CAheetrenais, M. and W., lit closer examination shlows that it does not belong to that species if, inldeedl, it is a l'leurotmturria at ai. N(, perfect specilnen has been men, though the fragmenlts founul show the surface (llaracters very well, whicb 5 somewhat resemble those of Purtomaa euwa, M. and W. T1ylor's quarry. No. 45. Alorima sinuata, /McChesney.-R- re, especially at Taylor'. quarry; more common about the upper dam. Our specimens would be described as moderately instead of strongi sinDate. No. 46. Allorsma elongata, (n. sp.) —Like the above, except more elongated posteriorly, wholly without sinus upon the ventral margin or depression upon the valves, and beaks nearer the anterior end. An undistorted specimen of medium size gives the following measurements: Length, 64.; height to hinge line, 28.5; height to summit of beaks, 25.4, greatest thickness, 20. Beaks one-ninth the length of the shell from the anterior end (varying in different specimens from one-seventh to one-tenth); twentyeight concentric ridges-which In this case are pretty persistent-can be counted upon each valve. A specimen one and one-half inches long gave analogous results. No. 47. Aloriem quadrata (n. sp.)-Like the above, except smaller, relatively broader, with posterior end more quadrate. A specimen of full size, and undstorted, gives the following admeasurements: Length, $1.; height, 15.8; of beaks, 16.8; height at 5 mm. from posterior end, 15.; thirty-nine concentric ridges in fasciculi of two, three, or four, which often unite upon the posterior end.' [The author has recently endeavored to refer to the above species described several years since, about seventy speciKpns, collected this season. He finds none of No. 46, fourteen of No. 46, forty-one of No. 47, and a remainder of heterogeneous materiil including a few Individuals strongly resembling Owen's figure of A. redaguri; a few not unlike A. claval, and almost every degree of variation between these forms and the three described above Many resemble Fig. 2, Pi. 22, Vol. V, Pal. Ills. He-had formerly believed that Nos. 46 and 47 were distinct from No. 45, as he had never found them in the some horizon; but recently be has found the two former associated in strata 8 and 4, Taylor's (luarry. It is questionable whether we have more than one species of this genus.] No. 48. Rare and showing few distinctive features. Perhaps a Sckifodr associated with zaphrentie inulifera. No. 49. Fragments probably of an aviculopecten. Locality unknown. No. 60. This is our most abundant fossil, although its range, and the area over which it is found are very limited. It occurs abundantly upon the surface of No. 6, Taylor's quarry, new excavation-part of No. 4, old excavation-literally covering this stratum wrberer it has been laid bare, 6 but is found at no other point. The valves are usually folad sprated, and bear evidence of havingbeen beach-worn previous to fossiliation, so that it seems impossible to deermine the species with certainty. I have been in the habit of referring this form to Mlali4na, but it can hardly belong to that genus. Small specklues resemble Orthonora, in having a straight hinge line, plaited dorsal Lfion and nearly parallel margins, but adult forms are more produced and spreading posteriorly.