it s g e n e r a a r e th e sam e . T h e p r e v a len t ty p e s ai'e G ym n o sp e rm o n s D ic o ty le d o n s , e sp e c ia lly C ijc a d e x ,
a n d a g r e a t ab u n d a n c e o f T r e e -fe rn s.
T h e N ew R ed S a n d s to n e , or T r ia s g r o u p , p r e s en ts p la n ts m o r e a n a lo g o u s to th o s e o f th e O o lite
th a n t o th o s e o f th e C a rb on ife rou s ep o ch , b u t th e y h a v e a lso m u c h in c om m o n w ith th e la tte r .
T o ltz ia , a r em a rk a b le g e n u s o f C on ife r s, appear s t o b e pecvdiai' t o th is period.
I n th e L ia s n um e r o u s sp e c ie s o f Cycadeas h a v e b e en fo u n d , w ith v a r io u s C o n ife r s an d m an y
P e rn s . N o o th e r D ic o ty le d o n o u s o r an y M o n o c o ty le d o n o n s p la n ts h a v e a s y e t b e en d isco v e r ed , b u t
i t is d ifficu lt to b e lie v e th a t n o n e su ch sh o u ld h a v e e x is t e d a t a p e r io d w h en w o o d -b o r in g an d h e rb -
d e v o u r in g in s e c ts , b e lo n g in g t o m o d em g en e r a , wer e e x tr em e ly a b n n d a n t, as h a s b e en proved b y th e
r e s e a r ch e s o f M r . B r o d ie an d M r . W e s tw o o d .*
T h e O o lite c o n ta in s n um e r o u s C y ca d e te , C onife rte , a n d P e r n s , a n d m o r e h e rb iv o ro u s g en e r a o f
in s e c t s ; an d h e r e M o n o c o ty le d o n o n s v e g e ta b le s ar e r e c o g n iz a b le in P o d o c a r y a an d o th e r P a n d a iie o n s
p la n t s . A c o n e o f P in u s h a s b e e n d isc o v e r ed in th e P u r b e c k , an d o n e o f A r a u c a r ia in th e in fe r io r
O o lit e o f S om e r se tsh ir e .
I n th e C r e ta c eo u s g rou p . D ic o ty le d o n s o f a v e r y h ig h ty p e appear. A g o o d m a n y sp e c ie s are en u -
m e r a t e d t b y D r . D e b e y , o f A ix - la -C h a p e llc , in c lu d in g a sp e c ie s o f J u g la n s , a g e n u s b e lo n g in g to an
O rd e r o f h ig h ly -d e v e lo p e d flo ra l s tr u c tu r e an d c om p le x affinities.^;
C/mroce® appear fo r th e fir st t im e a t th is ep o ch , an d are app.arently w h o lly s im ila r in stru c tu r e
t o th o s e o f th e p r e s en t day.
T h e T e r tia r y s tr a ta p r e s e n t la r g e a ssem b la g e s o f phants o f so m a n y e x is tin g G en e r a and Orde rs,
th a t i t ca n h a rd ly h e d o u b ted b u t th a t ev en th e ea r lie s t P lo r a o f th a t p e r io d w a s a lm o s t as com p le x
an d v a r ied a s th a t o f o u r ow n . I n th e low e s t E o c e n e b ed s are fo u n d A n on a c e ie , N ip a , A c a c ia , and
Cucnrbitace e e.^ I n th e B a g sh o t sa n d s som e silic ified w o o d h a s b e en fo u n d , w liich m a y c o n fid en tly
b e r e fer r ed t o B a n k s ia , a n d w h ic h is , in fa c t, s c a r c e ly d is tin g u ish a b le fr om r e c e n t an d fo s s il A u s -
tr a lia n B a n k s ia wood.H
* These insects include species o f the existing common European genera, Elater, G iy llm , Hemerohius, Ephemera,
Libelltda, Panorpa, and Carabus. Of all conspicuous tribes o f plants the Cycadea, Filices, Conifera, and
Lycopodiacea perhaps support the fewest insects, and tbe association of the above-named insects with a vegetation
consisting solely or mainly of plants of these Orders is quite inconceivable.
+ Qhiart. Jouvn. Geol. Soc. vii. pt. 1. misc. p. 110.
Í Professor Oswald Heer, of Zurich, in an interesting Uttle paper (Quelques Mots sur les Noyers), m Bibl.
Univ. Genev. Sep. 1858, argues from tbe fact of the early appearance o f Juglans in the geological series, that tliis
gemis must be a low tvpe of the Dicotyledonous ck ss to which it belongs. The position o f Juylans is unsettled in
the present state o f om- classification of Dicotyledonous Orders, as it has equal claims to be ranked ivith T m b in tla e ix ,
which ate veiy high in the series, aud ivith Cupaliferu:, wliich are placed very low; and were the grounds for our
thus ranking these Orders based on characters of ascertained relative value, such an argument might be admissible;
but the system which sunders these Orders is a purely artificial one. and Ju yU rs with its allies would prove
it so, it other proofs were wanting; tor it absolutely combines TereUnthacea and Cupuliferm into one natural group,
in which (as in so many others) there is a gradual passage from great complexity of fioral organs to great simplicity.
j I am far from considering the identification of these and the other genera wliich I have enumerated in various
strata as satisfactory, but I conclude that they may be taken as evidence of as highly developed and varied plants
having then existed as ave now represented by these genera.
11 I am indebted to the late Robert Brown for this fact, and for the means of comparing the specimens, which
are beautifully opahzed. I ascertained that he was satisfied with the evidence of this wood having really been dug
up neai- Staines, though it is so perfectly similar in every respect to the opalized Banksia-wood of Tasmania as to
suggest to his mind and my own the most serious doubts as to its English origin.
I n th e b row n co a l o f th e E o c e n e anti M io c e n e p e r iod s, F a n -p a lm s , Con ife r s, an d va r iou s e x is tin g
g e n e r a o f M y r ic c a :, L a u rín e a ,, an d P k d a n e a , are b e lie v ed t o h a v e b e en id en tified . M c s e l an d M eber
L c r i b e from th e b row n c o a l o f th e R h in e a r ich an d v a r ied E lo ra , r e p r e s en tin g n nm e r o u s fam ih e s
n e v e r n ow s e en a sso c ia ted , a n d in c ln d in g som e o f th e p e cu lia r an d c h a r a c te r is tic g en e r a o f th e A u s tr
a lia n , S o u th A fr ic a n , A m e r ic a n , In d ia n , au d E u r o p e a n F lo r a s .*
I n th e M o lla s s e an d c e r ta in M io c e n e fo rm a tio n s a t (B n in g o n an d e lsew h e r e in G e rm a n y , e w i zor-
la n d , an d T u s c a n y .t 9 0 0 sp e c ie s o f D ic o ty le d o n s J h a v e b e en ob served , a ll a p p a r en tly d iffe r en t from
e x is tin g o n e s , T h e v h a v e b e en re fer red, w ith m o r e or le s s p r o b a b ility , to F a n -p a lm s , P o p la r s (th r e e
s p e c ie s ) , e v e rg r e en L a u r ín e a ,, C e r a tc n ia , A c a c ia , T am a r in d o s , B a n k s ia , E m b c th riu rn G r em lle a ,
C u p re ssu s, sev e ra l sp e c ie s o t J u g la n s (on e n e a r th e N o r th -A m e r ic a n J . a cum in a ta , a n o th e r nea r th e
c om m o n W a ln u t o f E u r o p e an d A s ia , 3 . n ig r a , an d a th ir d n ea r th e N o r th -A m e n e a n J . c in e rea ) ;
a lso a H ic k o r y , n ea r th e C a r y a a lb a (a g e n u s now w h o lly A m e r ic a n ), a n d a P te r o c a r y a c lo s e ly
a llied to P . C a u ca sica .
T h e r is e o f th e A lp s w a s su b seq u en t to th is p e r io d ; an d in th e E u r o p e a n d ep o s its im m e d ia te ly
su c c e e d in g th a t ev en t, in Sw itz e r la n d (a t D u r n t e n an d U tz n a c h ) arc fo u n d ev id en c e s o f th e fo llow in
g e x is tin g s p e e i e s ,- S p r n c e , L a r ch , S o o te li F ir , B iic h , a H a z e l (diffe r en t from th a t n ow e x is tin g ),
S c ir p u s lacMstris, P h r a gm ite s com m u n is, an d M e n y a n th e s tr ifo lia la .
T h e g la c ia l ep o ch fo llow ed , d u r in g an d sin c e w h ic h th e r e h a s prob ab ly b e en lit t l e g en e r ic ch a n g e
ill th e v e g e ta tio n o f th e g lo b e . . , , ty i a i
3 2 S o m u c h for th e m a in fa c ts liitlie r to r eg a rd ed a s e s ta b lish ed iii Y e g e ta b le P a l® o n to o g j ,
t h e y arc o f lit t le v a lu e as com p a r ed w ith th o s e afforded b y th e A n im a l K in g d om , ev en g r a n t in g th a t
th e y are a ll weU m a d e o u t , w h ic h is b y n o m e a n s th e ca se . I n a p p ly in g th em th e o r e tic a lly to th e
s o lu t io n o f th e q u e s tio n o t c r e a tio n a n d d is tr ib u tio n , th e fir st p o in t w h ic h s tr ik e s n s is ^ c im p o s s i-
b d ity o f e s ta b lish in g a p a ra lle l b e tw e e n th e su c c e s s iv e ap p ea ran c es o t v e g e ta b le fo rm s in tim e , an d
th e ir c om p le x ity o f strn e tn r e or sp e c ia liz a tio n o f o r g a n s, a s r ep r e sen ted b y th e su c c e s s iv e ly h ig h e r
g ro u p s in th e N a tu r a l m e th o d o t cla ssifica tio n . S e c o n d ly , th a t th e ea r lie s t r e c o g n iza b le C ryp to g am s
. See Quart Journ. Geol. Soc. xv. misc. 3, where an abstract is given, with some excellent cautions, by G J.
F Bunbnry Esq The Anstralian genera include A c a ly p tu s , Ca sm rim , lepiomena, Tempkloma, B a n bm . V n j-
aialra, and Sa k ea . I am not prepared to assert that these identifieations, or the A ' ' " ' “
are ad so rmsatisfactor, that the evidence of Australian types in the brown coal and Mollasse sh od d he dto^cther
set aside; but I do consider that not one of the above-named genera is identified at all satisfactordy, and that many
q{ them are not even problematically decided. . , xt
Enrhw the printing o t this sheet I have received from my friend M. De Candolle a very rntcrestnig memoir
on the tertharv fossi! plants o t Tuscany, by M. C. Gandin and the Marquis C. Strozzi in which some o f the genera
here alluded to are described. The age of these Tuscan beds is referred by Prof. O. Heeirto a period internmdiate
between those of Dtznaoh and ffiiiingon. The most important plants desonhod are, Oomfe m. 6 V - ■ .
Liqnidambar. 1 ; Alnns. 1 ; Carpinns. 1 ; Popnlns, 2 ; Fagns, 1 ; Qneren, 5 , Wmns. 2 ; Pl.ne.-a, 1 ; F.cns 1
Plataiiiis, 1 ; Oreodaplme, 1 ; Laui-us, 2 ; Persea, I ; Acer, 2 ; Vitis, 1 ; Juglans, 4 ; Carya, 1 ; Pteioeaija 1.
There are 49 extinct species in all, o f wdiich 46 are referred, without even a mark of doubt or caution, to existing
genera and this in almost all cases from imperfect leaves alone 1 Without qnestiomng the good faith or an h ty of
the authors ot this really valuable and interesting memoir, I cannot withhold my protest against this practice ot
makhm what are at best little better than surmises, appear under the guise of scicnUfically established ident.fiea-
tions ° -What confidence can bo placed in the positive reference ot supposed fossil Fungi to Spkmna or of pinnated
leaves to Sapiuiiis, and other fragments o f foUage to existing genera of Lm rim a ,, F ia s and r d t s
} O. Hcer. Sur les Cliarbons fenffletés de Dimiten ct Utznaeh, in Mem. Soc. Helvet. Sc. Nat. ISo l ; Bihl.
Univers. Genev. August, 1858.