1 10 Vegetation of the First Period of an Ancient World. 



Art. XX. — On the Vegetation of the First Period of an Ancient 

 World; by Henry Witham, of Lartiiigton, (Eng.) F. G. S. &;c. 

 (Read to the Wernerian Society, 5th Dec. 1829.) 



[Communicated to the Editor of this Journal by Dr. Bushe, through Dr. Ellet, of 



New York.] 



Being firmly persuaded that the great objects of geology will be 

 much advanced by a serious attention to the history of the vegetation 

 of the different epochs, from the most remote period of organic cre- 

 ation down to the present day ; being most anxious to promote a 

 spirit of inquiry in this country, as ardent as that of our continental 

 neighbors, I have devoted a certain portion of my time to the exam- 

 ination of different coal fields, to endeavor to corroborate by proofs, 

 the assertions of that ingenious French naturalist, who has lately fa- 

 vored the world with many judicious remarks upon this dark, diffi- 

 cult, but interesting branch of science. I shall therefore now state 

 to you the result of my limited investigation. 



To the ardor of Mr. Adolphus Brongniart, in the researches he 

 has so successfully made in collecting materials for the physical his- 

 tory of the formations which compose the crust of our planet, every 

 geologist must feel interested ; as well as to Cuvier, Sternberg, Boue, 

 Brown, D'Urville, and others, for their able and unremitting exer- 

 tions in this dark field of early existence. It has been reserved for 

 this eminent young naturalist, to present to the public a classification 

 so natural, and generally so clear, as greatly to facilitate the labors of 

 those, who interest themselves in such pursuits ; and greatly to aid 

 them, in recording such particulars as may accidentally come under 

 their immediate notice. 



Impressed with the importance of this subject, I first of all availed 

 myself of the kindness of Mr, Dolphin, head agent to Messrs. Hall 

 &i Co., who solicited me to explore a vein called Jefferie's Rake in 

 the Derwent Mines near Blanchland, in the county of Durham. 

 Having travelled up the adit about three-fourths of a mile, we began 

 to descend by the assistance of ladders. At the depth of about fifty- 

 five fathoms below the surface, in a bed of sand-stone nearly forty 

 fathoms thick, we were gratified by a sight of some magnificent spe- 

 cimens of an ancient flora, belonging to Mr. A. Brongniart's first pe- 

 riod of vegetable creation. The two varieties appear to belong to 

 his third class, " the vascular cryptogamie." The first were Stig- 



