M. De Candolle oji Fossil Vegetables. 91 



§ 4. Fourth Period. Superior Deposit Series. 



Ninth Epoch — Plastic Clat/.-— 'This formation includes plas- 

 tic clay, moUase sandstone, and the brown coal or lignite depo- 

 sits which often accompany them. 



The vegetable remains in this formation are scarcely ever to 

 be distinguished, either on account of their fragile nature, or 

 because they have been bruised and triturated in some great 

 convulsion on the surface of the earth. The brown coals espe- 

 cially sometimes present such an accumulation of vegetables in 

 their natural vertical position, and sometimes a heap of frag- 

 ments of wood and leaves, and diiferent kinds of fruits, such as 

 now-a-days we observe that rivers and currents of water occa- 

 sionally bring together in certain localities. 



The nature of these vegetables is wholly different from that 

 of those which appeared in the beds of chalk. Those in this 

 formation are dicotyledonous, as is attested as respects a con- 

 siderable number of them, by the fruits, which are found de- 

 tached from the stalks ; there are also many palms and some 

 ferns. No marine plant has been found in it. 



A maple, a walnut tree, a willow, and an elm have been 

 found, as also cocoas, pines, and other species which can be 

 associated with the existing genera. There are many coniferae, 

 but no cycadeae. This vegetation much resembles that with 

 which we are surrounded at the present day. 



The proportions cannot be given, but we may safely conclude 

 there is a great preponderance of the dicotyledonous plants. 



Tenth Epoch — Coarse Marime Limestone Formation. — This 

 formation, of marine origin, has been discovered near Paris and 

 at Monte Bolca, It contains a great many algag, and some ter- 

 restrial plants of various classes, which appear to have been car- 

 ried into the ocean from the neighbouring land. They scarcely 

 differ from the terrestrial species of the preceding formation. 

 Many dicotyledons of a genus of Phyllites have been discovered. 



Eleventh Epoch — PaUotherian Formation. — The presence 

 of enormous mammalia, named Palceotkerium^ has given a name 



