REVIEWS. 567 
I.—Norrs on THE GerotocicaL History or THE Recount Frora 
or Brirainx. By Ciemenr Rerp, F.G.S. [Annals of Botany, 
vol. ii. No. vi. August, 1888. ] 
E are glad to be able to direct attention to this important 
paper, which records the plants obtained in this country 
from Preglacial, Interglacial, and Postglacial deposits. By means 
of investigations, which Mr. Reid has for some years carried on with 
great assiduity, he hopes to show what plants are truly native, what 
variations of climate they show, and the geographical distribution of 
the living species in past times. In the meanwhile he publishes an 
account of the material at present obtained, and this it is hoped may 
stimulate others to pay attention to the subject of the geological 
history of the Recent flora. 
The Preglacial deposits from which plants have been obtained, 
belong to the Cromer Forest-bed, which underlies all the Glacial 
deposits, and forms the highest portion of our Pliocene formation. 
The Interglacial deposits include beds which underlie Boulder-clay, 
but are newer than the Cromer Forest-bed, and with them is 
classed, for the sake of convenience, the bed with Arctic plants 
(discovered by Dr. Nathorst) that underlies the lowest Boulder-clay 
in Norfolk. The Postglacial group includes the “submerged forests,” 
and contemporaneous upland deposits; raised marine deposits, like 
the Clyde beds; and beds with Arctic plants, lying directly above 
the latest Boulder-clay of the district. Only those species are 
included that date from a period previous to the Roman occupation. 
The different localities from which Interglacial plants have been 
obtained are nearly all in Scotland, and the most interesting deposits 
are those found at Redhall and Hailes quarries, about three miles 
from Edinburgh, where a large collection of specimens has been 
obtained by Mr. James Bennie. 
The following is a list of the species recorded by Mr. Reid :— 
SBS Sena lg else eee 
Thalictrum minus? Linn. ... ses ae x 
flavum, Linn. 506 900 39 x 
Ranunculus aquatilis, Linn. ... ees eb x x 
sceleratus, Linn. mat x 
fiammula, Linn. x x 
Zingua, Linn. See ‘ : x 
- repens, Linn. 60 wae o0¢ x x x 
Caltha palustris, Linn. aoe 500 500 xi 
Nuphar luteum, Linn. Aap ons aH x ae x 
Lychnis diurna, Sibth. 305 wae on nee x 
Jios-cuculi, Linn. ... eas bAc ae x x 
Stellaria aquatica, Scop... “2 ae x 
media? Linn, bo 2o6 ae poo x 
Oxalts acetosella, Linn. Bc x ov oo x 
Prunus communis, Huds. ... obs see x 
padus, Linn. ae ate as ane x x 
Rubus ideus, Linn. nee sas ej “ x x 
—_ fruticosus, Linn. ... wee tes x x 
Potentilla tormentilla? Neck. ses att 900 be x 
comarum, Linn. ... ae O35 see x 
