Collected by Mr. George Gibbs. 51 1 



This suspicion is also strengthened by the fact that 

 Sucia Island, which is very near Point Dougiity, has fur- 

 nished a large number of well-marked cretaceous fossils, 

 Ammonites, Baculites, etc. This evidence, however, is by 

 no means conclusive, and the age of the strata of Orcas 

 Island can only be accurately determined by future inves- 

 tigation. 



The geology of all this region is evidently quite compli- 

 cated, and most of the conclusions which have been ar- 

 rived at in regard to it must be considered as in some 

 degree provisional, and liable to future modification. 



Sphenopteris (Asplenium) elongata Newb. 



Desc. Frond bi- or tripinnate; pinnae lanceolate, or 

 linear, acute, lower ones broadly lanceolate, pinnatifid at 

 base, margins deeply double-toothed, upper ones narrow, 

 lance linear, wedge shaped at base, summit long-pointed, 

 acute, margins coarsely toothed ; nervation strongly mark- 

 ed, acute-angled, medial nerve of pinnae vanishing toward 

 the summit, secondary nerves diverging from this at a very 

 small angle, radiating to the margins, dichotomously forked. 



This beautiful fern is 'considerably unlike any hitherto 

 described from the tertiary rocks, but exhibits a marked 

 resemblance to some of those found in the older formations. 

 It is very much like, in its general aspect, to Sphenopteris 

 Virletii, Brongn. (Hist. Veget. Foss. I. p. 209, T. 58 F. 

 1-2.), some of the pinnae having almost precisely the same 

 form, but generally the lobes of the pinnatifid pinnae in S. 

 Verletii are narrower, deeper, and less oblique, and the 

 marginal teeth less acute. 



In the specimens contained in the collection, I have not 

 been able to discover any traces of fructification ; we are, 

 therefore, not able to refer our plant with certainty to any 

 of the living genera to which it might be supposed to be- 

 long. The venation and mode of division of the frond 

 are, however, so similar to that of some species of Asplen- 



