144 Scientific Intelligence. 



{6). Discovery of Mammalian Remains in rocks of higli antiquity in 

 Nortli Carolina, United States. 



7.) Upper Trias of the Eastern Alps. 



8.) On the supposed evidence of Phrenogamous plants (not Gyinnos- 

 perais) in the Coal Formation. 



(9.) On Silurian and Cambrian Rocks, and M. Barrande's theory of 



Colonies. 



The mammalian remains of the United States are from the discoveries 

 of Prof. Emmons in North Carolina. The fossils are from the Red Sand- 

 stone — of the same formation with the sandstone of the Connecticut 

 valley, whose age is not yet made out with certainty, although probably 

 as recent as the lower Jurassic. 



The fossil oolitic mammalia from the Purbeck beds are among the most 

 interesting discoveries of recent times. 



The fifth edition of the ''ManuaP' contains notices of six species of 

 mammals, the Phascolotherium^ Amphitherium^ and Stereognathus of 

 Stonesfield, the Microlestes of the Upper Trias, the S2^(il(^cotheriu'm of 

 Purbeck, and a lower jaw of another undetermined species. 



The Purbeck beds, especially the "dirt bed" of the middle Purbeck, 

 seemed to promise other discoveries, and the search has proved successful. 

 This bed averages five inches thick, and contains remains of insects and 

 freshwater shells (Paludina, Planorbis, Cyclas). In three weeks explora- 

 tion by Mr, Beckles, five or six new species of three or four new genera, 

 were found in an area forty feet by ten, the size varying from that of a 

 mole to that of a hedgehog; and besides there was the entire skeleton of 

 a crocodile, the shell of a freshwater tortoise, and remains of some smaller 

 reptiles. Mr. Brodie had previously made collections from the same bed 

 near Swanage, and among them were the lower jaws of three mammalian 

 species and the upper portion of a skull. For one lower jaw on the same 

 slab with the skull, having eight molars, a canine and an incisor, Owen 

 has proposed the generic name Triconodon; the animal was nearly as 

 large as a hedgehog. Another species of Triconodon^ a third larger, has 

 been detected among the specimens obtained by Mr. Beckles. Another 

 jaw is related to Amphitherium^ though generically distinct. The TricO' 

 nodon^ according to Dr. Qwen, is allied to the Phascolotherium and Thy- 

 lacotherium; and he states that all these genera belonged ''to the same 

 natural group of an Insectivorous and very probably Marsupial family." 



There are also among the fossils, the jaws of two other animals, which 

 Dr. Falconer has named Plagiaidax BecHcsii^ and Plaglaidax minor ; 

 they are most nearly related to the living kangaroo rat (genus Hypsi- 

 in-ynmus)^ of which ten species are known. The single praemolar is 

 marked somewhat diagonally with seven sliarp parallel ridws, crossing 

 the summit, and the modern species have also seven ridges, differing only 

 in being placed transversely. P. Beckksii^ the largest species, was about 

 as large as the English squirrel, and the other not over half this in 

 length. The specimen of the latter contains two back molars which are 

 exceedingly like those of the Triassio Microlestes^ showing that the Mi- 

 crolestes was a closely related genus. 



Professor Owen now regards the Spalacotherium as probably marsu- 

 pial Part of the cranium of another mammal has been disinterred, and 



