384 Geographical Society ai Paris. 
1 beg you, sir, to pardon the liberty I tales nd acc 
the’ expression of the ce esteem of | ae te 
ale eee 
Your most obt. humble cones vat ieat 
Le J ooetS de Martins, 
P. 8S. You alle see by the memoirs I send you with 
this letter, that I differ in the explanation of antediluvian 
plants, in some points from Mr. Brongniart, whose trea- 
tise was printed quite in the same time as mine. I cannot 
be convinced that Equisetums should have composed such 
a considerable part of that primitive Flora, but it seems 
almost sure to me, by the examination I made of many 
trunks of the Flora antediluviana, that the forms of Cycas 
and Zamia, or related ones, appear in it. Palms are: 
scarcely to be remarked in ancient formations of strata, but 
they are in those of the Braunkohle and the newest for- 
med chalk. eee ae 
27. Geographical Society at Paris.—A society has been 
recently formed in Paris the object of which is the increase 
and diffusion of Geographical knowledge. It will be 
unnecessary to discuss the merits of this underta- 
king. As long as Geography is so intimately connected 
with other branches of human learning, and while many 
parts of our globe are still unexplored, and others but 
imperfectly known, the importance of such an attempt will 
be obvious. 
This society is patronized by the French Government, 
and includes among its members some of the most distin. 
guished men of that nation. 
In order more effectually to accomplish my object of 
their association, the society propose to award premiums 
from the funds in their possession for the best treatises on 
such subjects as they may.propose for consideration, and 
although scarcely three years have elapsed since their 
incorporation, they already offer premiums to the amount 
of 7700 francs. The largest of which is a gold medal of 
the value of 3000 francs for ‘‘ a manuscript and detailed 
relation of the ancient Cyrenaique founded upon the per- 
sonal observations of the author, and accompanied by a 
