Reviews — Eoenen's Lower Oligocene Tertiary Beds. 127 



terminate in the leaf scars on the outer surface. The figures and 

 descriptions of Sigillaria vascularis exhibit a structure precisely 

 similar. 



The affinities of these stems to any living organism are not very 

 ohvious. The large mass of cellular tissue — supposing that the 

 amorphous cylinder represents original cellular structure — with the 

 cylinders of wood, remind one of such fleshy trunks as those of 

 Cactus and Gycas. Indeed, the arrangement of the tissues in Cycas 

 is nearer to that of Sigillaria vascularis than anything else ^vith 

 which we are acquainted. In the stem of Cycas revoluta, Thunb., 

 there is a large central pith composed of true cells, surrounded by a 

 woody cylinder ; then a layer of true cells, followed by a second 

 series of woody tissue, and this is surrounded by a thick external 

 parenchyma, traversed by fibrous bundles, which extend to the 

 bases of the leaves. There are, however, large and numerous rays 

 of cells, or medullary rays, passing through both the woody 

 cylinders, and uniting the three series of cellular tissue. These are 

 obvious in every section which one makes of the woody portion of 

 Cycas revoluta ; but, as we have already said, we cannot detect any- 

 thing like medullary rays in the admirable and evidently faithful 

 drawings which accompany Mr. Binney's paper. The want of the 

 medullary rays, the passage of fibrous bundles through the woody 

 cylinders, and the striking scalariform tissues, would incline us to 

 look for the affinities of AnabatJira and Sigillaria among the Lyco- 

 podiacese, or the allied orders to which the Lepidostrohi and Flemin- 

 gites undoubtedly belong. 



m. — The Fauna of the Lower Oligocene Teetiaey Beds of 

 Helmstadt, near Brunswick. By Dr. A. v. Koenen. 



[Die Fauna der unter-oligocanest Tektiarschichten von Helmstadt bei 

 Braunschweig. Von Dr. A. v. Koenen. Zeitschrift der deutscheii geologischen 

 Gesellscliaft. Jahrg, 1865, pp. 459-533. 2 plates.] 



DE. VON KOENEN is one of the hardest known workers at 

 Tertiary fossils, whether in the field, the museum, or the 

 library. The results of his labours are arrived at slowly, but no 

 doubt possess the compensating quality of stability. At any rate, 

 all who know our learned and enthusiastic author retain and record 

 his statements and opinions, apparently with a wonderful amount of 

 faith in his judgment. But Dr. Von Koenen is a German, and a 

 strong upholder of Professor Beyrich's Oligocene system. In 

 England, we are accustomed to Eocene, Miocene, and Pliocene ; and 

 without some very strong and easily grasped reason, we should be 

 loth to interpose the Oligocene division between the two first-named 

 groups. The philosophy of Tertiary classification is at present 

 beyond our ken ; and as we are so wedded to tradition and precedent, 

 it probably will continue to be so for the next ten years. Never- 

 theless, we have the satisfaction of having heard a Wollaston 

 medalist call the Scaldisien of Dumont Lower Kainozoic, showing, 

 that in his mind at least, a most radical revolution is in progress. 



