i66 THE PLANT WORLD. 



Near the base of the bed, associated with Cypress cones, a num- 

 ber of well-preserved Beech-nuts were found, some of them exhibiting 

 worm-borings. They closely resemble the nuts of our living Fagiis 

 femiginea Ait. Certain of the prostrate trunks are evidently 

 dicotyledonous. It is not known, however, whether any of them are 

 Beeches, no attempt having yet been made at careful generic and 

 specific determinations of any of the remains found. 



Unlike the subjacent Patapso formation, which, especially toward 

 the Bodkin, abounds in fossil leaves as well as lignite,* the Raritan 

 Cypress bed has not yet yielded determinable leaf impressions. Neither 

 have any animal remains been found at this point. At " The Nar- 

 rows," however, about one and a half miles southward, impressions of 

 lamellibranch shells were found in a fine, soft, blue clay which at this 

 date is believed to be homologous with the similar clays above men- 

 tioned as conformably overlying the Cypress beds. 



The swamp deposit appears to represent an ancient land surface, 

 submerged and buried in process of Raritan deposition. 



Other beds, believed by the writer to be homologous, occur above 

 the mouth of Stony Creek (south shore of the Patapsco) ; at Cape 

 Sable (amber bed), Magothy River, in which a good leaf-bearing lens 

 has recently been found; at Swan Bar (Round Bay), Severn River; at 

 Burk's Shore, above Round Bay, where another rich leaf -bearing lens 

 has lately been opened; and at Earleigh Heights (Speer's Sand 

 Quarry), farther up the Severn. 



The Woman's College Museum, Baltimore, Md. 



TUNA AND ITS DISTRIBUTION. 

 By Dr. C. A. White. 



WHILE cheerfully complying with the request that I should 

 give some account of my observation of Opiintia Ttina in 

 different countries, I wish to say that never having made 

 any really scientific observation of that plant, what I here- 

 with send is merely travelers' gossip. During my numerous journeys 

 in Northern Mexico and the adjoining states of our own country, 

 ranging from the Pacific to the Gulf coast, I had frequent opportunity 

 to observe that great cactus and to note some of the uses to which it 

 is applied. 



In the regions referred to this Opiintia is usually called tiina by 

 the inhabitants, that name being specially applied to its fruit. It 



* It should be noted that this lignite, which occurs in a blue potter's clay, bears abundant 

 and exceptionally beautiful incrustations of bright pyrites of iron (parallel growths of octa- 

 hedrons and cubes). 



