PRE-CARBONlFEROUS PLANTS. W 



Europe which introduced the Upper Devonian and Carboniferous Floras. 

 Lastly, from the comparative richness of the later Erim flora in East- 

 ern America^ especially in the St. John bed^, it might be a fair inference 

 that the North-eastern end of the Appalachian ridge was the original birth- 

 place or centre of creation of what we may call the later Palaeozoic Flora, 

 or of a large part of that flora. 



Before such probable conclusions as thoso above stated can be accepted 

 as d'3finitely established, there must be an immense amount of labour on 

 the part of collectors and of botanists, and specimens must be brought 

 together to coinparo the plants of the like epoclis in the most distant loca- 

 lities. Further, the facts thus obtained must be put in relation with the 

 geographical and stratigraphical distribution of successive beds, and with the 

 distribution of the contemporary marine faunae. Until this great work shall 

 have been completed, we shall have no sure basis for the knowledge of the 

 laws of inj;roduction and extinction of species, and the Paloeobotanist 

 must be content with the thankless task of collecting facts apparently 

 barren of geological results. 



(5) Practical Deductions. 



The value of Palaeontology to the practical man and theoretical geo- 

 logist can scarcely be overrated. A single characteristic fossil is often 

 suflBcient to uutcrmine the geological age of a formation, and the question of 

 geological ago is one that must be ascertained previous to any deductions 

 ■whether as to the mineral contents or conditions of formation of strata. 



In order to apply this test of ago, it is necessary that the fossils of 

 the different beds shall be accurately studied, described and figured. 

 Hence in all Geological Surveys, large expenditures have been made for 

 this object, and magnificent volumes have been published for the purpose 

 of illustrating the fossils of the several formations, that both the scien- 

 tific and practical man may have ready access to reliable sources of 

 information. The small means at the disposal of the Canadian Survey has 

 hitherto prevented it from going as far in this direction as is desirable, 

 though in so far as the animal fossils of the older rocks are concerned, the 

 publications which have been issued by Mr. Billings, the Palaeontologist of 

 the Survey, have been of the utmost utility, and have largely contributed 

 to raise the scientific reputation of Canada abroad. 



Fossil plants have hitherto been regarded as of much less importance 

 than fossil animals in determining the ages of rocks, and in some portions 

 of the geological series, where the formations are strictly marine, their 

 value is no doubt quite subordinate. But there are portions of the geolo- 

 gical formations, more especially those related to the great Carboniferous 

 scries, in which their value becomes much greater ; and accordingly in the 



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