THE STATUS OF PALEOBOTANY 173 



in the latter country has nearly always been of first quality. 

 Especially in the study of impressions French paleobotanists 

 have been particularly happy and have given an example of 

 painstaking comparison with modern plants which might be 

 emulated to advantage by American workers. The reports on 

 the floras of the various coal basins commencing with that of 

 Grand 'Eury on the Loire basin in 1877 and followed by a number 

 of similar reports by Renault and Zeiller form a body of literature 

 unsurpassed for excellence, and standing at the head of the list 

 of official publications the world around for their scientific merit 

 in either geology or botany. The French Mesozoic and Ter- 

 tiary floras have always received very full treatment, those from 

 the Pliocene of Central France and the Eocene of the Paris basin 

 being under active investigation at the present time by Laurent, 

 Marty and Fritel. 



In Germany, aside from the study of the Pleistocene and 

 Recent fossil floras of the peat bogs little that is of really first 

 quality is being accomplished, although this statement is general 

 and there are notable exceptions. Germans since Goeppert's 

 day have excelled in the study of fossil woods and the recent 

 work of Gothan fully maintains their position in this field. 



In the Scandinavian countries Pleistocene problems have 

 been very fully worked out and the torch which Oswald Herr 

 carried into the Arctic regions is kept bright by Nathorst, whose 

 methods of work in all phases of paleobotanical investigation 

 are especially praiseworthy. 



The Austro-Hungarian monarchy, so rich in fossil plants, 

 the home of Sternberg, Unger, Feistmantel, Ettingshausen and 

 Stur, seems to be resting on the laurels of the past and the writer 

 knows of no especially noteworthy work going on at the present 

 time. Elsewhere in Europe there are a few workers in Italy, 

 and Zalessky in Russia. In Japan there is Yokoyama and his 

 associates. The rest of Asia and all of Africa and South America 

 have yet to produce a paleobotanist and the same remark is true 

 of Australia. 



Finally in the United States we find much that is hopeful and 

 much that is discouraging. The workers are too few and are 



