86 M. De CandoUe 07i Fossil Vegetables. 



Each formation corresponds to an epoch, or a certain lapse of 

 years ; and each general series, or terrain, to a more extended 

 period. 



III. An Abridged History of the Vegetable Kingdom, at 



DIFFERENT EpOCHS, AND GEOLOGICAL PERIODS. 



§ 1 First Period of Organized Beings — Transition Formation. 



First Epoch — Limestone below the Coal Formation. — This 

 formation so rich in madrepores and animals of the inferior 

 classes, is very poor in fossil vegetables. M. Brongnlart, in 1828, 

 only knew of fourteen species which could be described. 



These belonged exclusively to the Cryptogamia, and to a 

 species, the botanical class of which is doubtful. Four Algae, 

 marine plants, were remarked, of a genus denominated Fucoides; 

 and of terrestrial plants, two Equisetaceae, of a calamite genus, 

 three Filices, and many Lycopodiaceas, most of which were in 

 bad condition. 



All these species are different from those wliich now exist. 

 Some of them are also found in the following formation : — 



Second Epoch — The Coal Formation, — Coal, the relations 

 of which are so well known, on account of its utility, is en- 

 tirely composed of the debris of mineralised vegetables. In 

 the thickest beds the trunks of trees are sometimes still found 

 in a vertical position. 



There is a great number of known species in this formation, 

 so that, in 1828, M. Brongniart enumerated no less than 258 ; 

 but the small number of the families to which these species be- 

 long, is very remarkable ; as is also the extremely different 

 proportion in the great classes, with those which now exist in 

 the same regions. 



The class of iEtheogamese (viz. Filices, Marsileaceas, Equi- 

 setaceae, Ly coped iaceas) abounds in a most extraordinary pro- 

 portion. It alone forms two-thirds or five-sixths of the vegeta- 

 tion, whilst in the present day it does not exceed a thirtieth. 

 The most part were arborescent, similar to the tree-ferns of our 



