11 



in those States, in the same direction which it is following in Kansas, or 

 nearly clue south. In a note in the proceedings of the Academy of Science 

 of Saint Louis, Professor Shumard, after remarking, 1 "that they had not be- 

 fore succeeded in finding dicotyledonous leaves in the Lower Cretaceous marls 

 and sandstone of Texas, as had been done by Meek and Hay den in Nebraska 

 and Kansas, and that they supposed they would probably be found in this 

 position," adds : "I have now the pleasure to inform you that further explo- 

 rations in Lamar County, near Red River, have resulted in the discovery, 

 by Dr. G. G. Shumard, of numerous impressions of leaves in alternations of 

 yellowish sandstone and bluish shales which are believed to occupy a position 

 below the marly clay, or Red River group of my section, and which we re- 

 gard as being on a parallel with the lower beds of No. 1 of the Nebraska 

 section. The collection made by Dr. Gr. G Shumard contains several species 

 of dicotyledonous leaves which appear to belong to the genera Salix, Ilex, 

 Laurus, &c." 



At the time of the discovery of these fossil plants, I corresponded with 

 Doctor Shumard, desiring that they should be sent to me for examination, and 

 I was promised communication of them. To my regret the promise was not 

 fulfilled, owing especially to modifications in the corps of the geological sur- 

 vey of Texas. There can be no doubt, however, from the description of the 

 position of the strata, of their compound, and also of the generic relation 

 of the leaves, that they are referable to species of the flora of the Dakota 

 group, or that this Cretaceous group is represented in the northern counties 

 of Texas. The chalk-beds of the Cretaceous equivalent of the Benton group 

 are predominant not only in Texas, but also in the southwestern corner of 

 Arkansas, and have been recognized in the whole extent of Sevier, Pike, 

 and Hempstead Counties, &c. According to Dr. D. Dale Owen's report on 

 the geological survey of Arkansas, this chalk limestone is seen in these 

 counties, almost everywhere near the bottom of the creeks, under the loam. 

 On account of its lower station, of course the red sandstone of the Dakota 

 group was not observed, the beds of the river being nowhere deep enough 

 to expose it to view. From North Texas, the Cretaceous formation passes 

 to the south, under wide prairies mostly of loam and Tertiary deposits. 

 It is not positively ascertained if it reaches the Gulf of Mexico, but it is 



'Vol. ii, No. 1, (1863,) p. 14(1. 



