298 Horticultural Society. 



fresh-water strata on the east side of the Isle of Wight. Those 

 which have been noticed as abounding in the Hmestone of the 

 lower fresh-water at Garnet Bay are chiefly referable to the 

 Chara Medicaginula of the French authors ; in that locality 

 fossil stems accompany them whose structure is identical with 

 that of some recent Charte, as for example C. hispida. 



The author concludes by observuig, that from the remark- 

 able toughness of the integument of their seed-vessel, and 

 f-om the large proportion of carbonate of lime which they con- 

 tain in a living state, most of the Charae are peculiarly adapted 

 for becoming Ibssil, and that they are accordingly preserved in 

 the recent marls in Scotland, both in a vegetable and a mine- 

 ralized state, when the other aquatic plants which lived and 

 died in the lakes with them are entirely decomposed, or can 

 no longer be recognisetl. 



An extract of a letter was read from Jer. Van Rausselaer, 

 Esq. on the discovery of the skeleton of a mastodon at New- 

 York ; and of the teitiary formation in New Jersey. 



In this letter Mr. Rausselaer mentions that in a late expe- 

 dition which he had made with some friends to examine tlie 

 geology of the state of New Jersey, they had discovered, dis- 

 interred, and afterwards brought to New-York, the skeleton of 

 a mastodon very nearly perfect. They also satisfied them- 

 selves that much of the region which lies between the Atlantic 

 and the range of primitive mountains was referable to the 

 tertiary formations, and that the secondary do not make their 

 appearance for some hundreds of miles. 



A paper was read, entitled " Account of a fossil crocodile 

 recently discovered in the alum shale near Whitby;" by the 

 Rev. George Young. 



Mr. Young describes the osteology of this fossil animal 

 which has been deposited in the museum at Whitby, and of 

 which a drawing accompanied this communication. Its length 

 exceeds 14 feet, and when perfect must have reached 18. 



The author mentions that these are not the only remains of 

 the crocodile which have been discovered near Whitby, al- 

 though they had been generally confounded with those of the 

 Plcsiosaiiriis ; of which animal, however, as well as of three or 

 four species of the Icthyosaurusy undoubted remains occur in 

 the alum shale of Whitby. 



HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



March 1 . — The following papers were read : On the/;ultiva- 

 tion of the pine-apple; by Mr. William Chartres, correspond- 

 ing member of the Society. — A description of the vineries of 



John 



