14 Catalogue of Plants. 



of the Carboniferous period, though the vegetation would appear 

 to have been poorer in species and more exclusively Lycopodia- 

 ceous ; in which respects it more nearly resembles that of the 

 Lower than of the Middle or Upper Coal-measures. The general 

 history is that of a sea-bottom elevated or filled up in such a 

 manner as to afford sandy or muddy flats, on poi tions of which 

 plants grew, and on other portions vegetable fragments were 

 drifted, or bare surfaces were exposed to the alternate influences 

 of aqueous deposition and aerial desiccation, — these various con- 

 ditions being more or less prevalent throughout a long period, 

 during which the area may have been gradually sinking, to be 

 again disturbed and elevated at the commencement of the Carbo- 

 niferous period. 



In explanation of the siliceous and plant-bearing character of 

 the Gaspe beds, as compared with their more calcareous and 

 marine character in some other parts of America, I may point to 

 their vicinity to the old Laurentian land on the north side of the 

 Gulf of St. Lawrence, and to the possible existence of a nearer belt 

 of Lower Silurian land, indicated by the unconformability, in this 

 part of Canada, of the Lower and Upper Silurian rocks. 



In the collection of Sir W. E. Logan there are some vegetable 

 remains from the limestones of Cape Gaspe and its vicinity, which 

 perhaps indicate a still older terrestrial flora than that above de- 

 scribed. They afford, I think, evidence of the existence of at least 

 one species oi Psilophyton and one oi Nceggerathia or Poacites; 

 but whether identical or not with those above described, I cannot 

 determine from the specimens. The beds in which they occur 

 certainly underlie the Gaspe sandstones, and are probably Upper 

 Silurian. 



ARTICLE II. — List of Plants found growing as indigenous in 

 the neighbourhood of Prescott, C. W. ; for the most part, 

 collected in 1859, by W. E. Billings. (Supplementary to 

 Article 6, "Canadian Naturalist," February, 1858.) 



Ranunculace(B. 

 Anemone cylindrica, (Gray). Thickets; westward; common. 

 Hepatica triloba, (Chaix). Exposed rocky places ; rare. 

 Ranunculus aquatilis (L.), var. divaricatus. Ponds, &c. ; common. 

 " Pursbii, (Richards;. Railroad Bay j rare, but common 



northward. 



