186 THE MEDALS OF CREATION. Cuap. VI. | 
The fossil palm-leaves of the pinnated form are named — 
Phenicites,* and examples occur in the Tertiary grits of 
Puy en Velais. I am not aware that leaves of this type have 
been found in England: diligent research in our tertiary leaf- 
beds (at Whitecliff Bay, Alum Bay, Bournemouth, Ware- 
ham) will probably sooner or later discover them. The — 
leaflets have a well-marked median nerve, with fine ner- 
vures running parallel with it; a character by which the 
foliage of Phenicites may be distinguished from that of the — 
Cycadez. 
Foss, Fruits or Patms.—Although certain fruits found 
in the coal measures have been referred to the palm-tribe by 
M. Unger, Dr. Lindley, and other botanists, M. Brongniart — 
is of opinion that no such identification can be established ; 
the same remark applies to the Carpolithes from the Oolite ; 
in fine, the Tertiary deposits have alone yielded fruits that 
can be unquestionably referred to plants of this order. The — 
most productive British locality of fossil fruits of Palms, 
and of many other vegetables, is the Island of Sheppey ; and 
I purpose describing in this place, not only the remains of 
this family, but also of the other plants associated with 
them. 
Fossiz Fruits oF THE Is~E or SHEeppey. — This little 
island, which is situated in the mouth of the Thames, is 
entirely composed of the London Clay, with bands of septa- 
ria. On the north, there is a range of cliffs, about two hun- 
dred feet high, which is being continually undermined by 
the waves, and large masses of the clay are thrown down, 
and innumerable fruits, seeds, branches and stems of trees, 
and other fossils, are exposed on the strand at low water. 
The vegetables are strongly impregnated with iron pyrites, 
and as this mineral speedily decomposes when exposed to 
the atmosphere, the choicest examples often fall to pieces, — 
* From Phenix dactylifera : the Date-Palm. 
