176 Mr D. Don on the Leaf nf Rosa berberifblia. 



clearly proves the compound nature of the leaf in Rosa bcrheri- 

 Jhlia. This opinion, respecting the change of the stipulas in 

 this plant, may appear parodovical, but it is borne out by a 

 comparison of the leaves of certain Capparidea, where the sli- 

 pulae have also become changed into spines, and where they are 

 also partially confluent with the stem. The coriaceous leaves 

 of Rosa berberifoHa, their spiral insertion, and the elongated, 

 callous bases of the confluent stipulae, would seem to be intend- 

 ed by Nature to protect the young and tender shoots of this 

 plant from the powerful effects of a scorching sun in those arid 

 and sandy plains of which it is a native. It would be well to 

 ascertain with certainty, whether the inside of the tube of the 

 calyx, or hollow receptacle, is really destitute of bristles, as I 

 was led to conclude from an examination of a solitary flower. 

 This circumstance, if really constant, would perhaps justify its 

 separation from Rosa, as Mr Lindley has already proposed. 



Comparative Vieio of the Secondary Rocks in the Alps and the 

 Cai-pathians. By A. Boue, M.D. Member of the Wer- 

 nerian Society, &c. &c. — Communicated by the Author. 



OEVERAL new jounieys and investigations induce me, as the re- 

 sult of these, to distinguish the northern Alpine calcareous chain 

 into two great divisions or masses of limestone ; the one, the in- 

 ferior of a blackish or grey colour, resting upon, or uniting itself 

 with, the red sandstone, the slate and the sparry iron-ore lime- 

 stone, and, lastly, with talcose and micaceous rocks, sheltering 

 the central crystalline Alpine chain ; the other, the superior, 

 generally greyish white, being near the tertiary plain, and cover- 

 ing the salt formation. Between these two limestone deposites, 

 there are, besides the salt-clay, a large body of grey marly 

 sandstone, marls, conglomerate, and a deposite of limestone, 

 characterised by particular ammonites, madreporites, orthocera- 

 tites, nautilites, terebratulites, &c. The sandstone is, like the 

 salt deposite, not found every where ; and, frequently, its place 

 is taken by a marly deposite, which is characterized by fucoides, 

 ammonites, hamites, belemnites, encrinites, &c. 



