Baron De Zigno on the Jurassic Flora. 443 



previously ascertained fauna of the Cave-period in Sicily may aid in 

 putting it in relation with the Newer Tertiary deposits of Italy. 



The author then proceeds to describe the Grotta di Maccagnone, 

 a previously undescribed ossiferous cave, in the Hippurite-limestone, 

 Avestward of the Bay of Carini (between Palermo and Trapani). 

 In the breccia below its entrance he met with remains of Hippopo- 

 tamus in abundance, and remains of Elephas antiqmis in the upper 

 deposit of humus within the cave. But some other fossils were 

 discovered under very interesting and somewhat anomalous condi- 

 tions in this cave. The interior of the cavern is lined with stalag- 

 mite ; and at a spot on the roof, where this is denuded. Dr. Fal- 

 coner found a large patch of bone-breccia containing teeth of 

 Ruminants, bits of carbon, shells of several species of Helix, and a 

 vast abundance of flint and agate knives of human manufacture. 

 At other places, and wherever the author had the calcareous coating 

 broken by hammers, he found similar remains. At one spot, on 

 breaking the stalagmite, he found against the roof of the cave a thick 

 calcareo-ochreous layer containing abundance of the coprolites of a 

 large Hycena. 



Dr. Falconer draws the following inferences from the study of 

 these facts : — 1 . That the Maccagnone Cave was filled up to the 

 roof within the human period, so that a thick layer of bone-splinters, 

 teeth, land-shells, and human objects was agglutinated to the roof 

 by the infiltration of water holding lime in solution. 2. That the 

 coprolites of a large Hycena were similarly cemented to the roof at 

 the same jjeriod. 3. That subsequently, and within the human 

 period, such a great amount of change took place in the physical 

 configuration of the district as to have caused the cave to be washed 

 out and emptied of its contents, excepting the patches of material 

 cemented to the roof and since coated vpith additional stalagmite. 



2. " On the Jurassic Flora." By Baron Achille de Zigno. 



In studying the numerous specimens of Jurassic Plants discovered 

 in the Venetian Alps, Sig. de Zigno has found it necessary to pass 

 in revision all the known species derived from the Jurassic strata in 

 different countries. In preparing his large work on the Fossil 

 Plants of the Oolitic Kocks (' Flora fossilis Formationis Ooli- 

 thicae'), two parts of which have been published, the author finds, 

 as may be expected, some discrepancies in the published opinions 

 as to the place whicli the plant-bearing beds of Scania, Richmond 

 (U. S.), India, Australia, and South Africa respectively are entitled 

 to in the geological scale. As the apparent weight of evidence 

 places some of these deposits in other formations than the Jurassic, 

 and as some are still very doubtfully placed, the author omits them 

 from his sources of Jurassic plants. 



In the two parts of his work which he has presented to the 

 Society, the author flescribes the Jurassic Calamites (including the 

 Asterophijllitcs) , the Phyllotheca:, and Eqiiiseta. Tiie plates of 

 figures accompanying the foregoing, but not yet described, are re- 

 commended by the author to the notice of English paleobotanista. 



