59 



a solitary life. Even uow by the singular and exclusive form of its 

 pale-green glossy leaves, by its large cup-shaped yellow flowers, from 

 which it has received its name, by its smooth exactly cylindrical stem, 

 gracefully bearing an oblong pyramidal head of branches, grouped with, 

 perfect symmetry, it stands widely apart from the other denizens of our 

 forests, as a beautiful stranger, or rather as a memorial monument of 

 another vegetable world. Either considered in its whole or in its sepa- 

 rate characters, the tulip tree is an universal and constant subject of 

 admiration and wonder. It could be named, not the king, it is not 

 strong enough for that, but the queen of our forests, if the Magnolia 

 was not there with him to dispute the prize of perfection by the still 

 grander majesty of its stature, the larger size of its foliage, the elegance 

 and the perfmne of its flowers. Our sense of admiration for these 

 noble trees is heightened still by the dignity of their ancient origin. 



I have referred to the family of the Menispermacew under the generic 

 name of Menisiier mites ^ a large number of leaves related by their form and 

 nervation to those of the American species of 3Ienispermum. 31. Canadense 

 and M. Smikicinum. The relation appears to me as positive as it can be 

 established from a single kind of vegetable organs, the leaves. This 

 relation may be searched for in plants of a far distant country and of a 

 different climate, and there perhaps found as evident with another class 

 of vegetables. But I can not admit that we have to look to foreign 

 types for analogy of a vegetation whose essential characters are recog- 

 nized in the species of this country. Menispermum canadense is now the 

 consort of our Platanus, Magnolia, TvMp-tree, &c. It grows under the 

 same climatic circumstances, and has the same habitat. As the leaves 

 of the Dakota group compared to this species are like it, peltate, round 

 or cordate, obtusely angular, of the same nervation and consistence, 

 there is reason, indeed, to refer it to this family rather than to any other 

 without any representative among us. 



No species of Menispermum or Menispermites has been recognized 

 from the geological formations except the species of the Dakota group. 

 One-leaf, however, is described by linger as Acer oMusilohttm, which 

 appears to me a true Menispermites. It has the secondary nervation of 

 Menispermum, {Gocculus Garolinus,) and the basilar veins comes out from 

 the borders of a round notched base, as in a peltate leaf. linger doubt- 

 fully considers this leaf as a species of Acer. Till now we have not seen 

 any appearance of organs of this last genus, either leaves or seeds, in the 

 Dakota group, as we have none also in the Eocene. The maple seems 

 to be of more recent origin, as it is remarked hereafter. However, one 

 Cretaceous leaf, or the fragments of a double leaf, are referred with doubt 

 to the genus Negundo. As the leaf is not complete, its outline indefinite, 

 it is useless to argue upon its possible atfinity, and for this, as for some 

 others, we have to wait for the discovery of more perfect materials. 



The relation of other leaves of the Dakota group to the genera 

 JPaliurus, Rliamnus, Juglans or Elms, and even Prunus appears sustained 

 by sufficient evidence. The character of leaves of Paliurus and Rhamniis 

 are not likely to be mistaken. Both these genera have identifiable re- 

 mains in the Tertiary of the Eocky Mountains ; one Paliurus is found 

 in the Eocene of Golden and Black Butte, and another in the Miocene of 

 Carbon and Washakie. This last is an arctic species, also recognized by 

 Heer in the Miocene of Greenland and Spitzberg. Ehamnus is especially 

 well represented in our lower Tertiary. Eight species are described from 

 Golden, Black Butte, and the Raton Mountains, four of which are in the 

 Miocene of Europe, where the genus has fourteen species. It is there- 

 fore an old type well established at the beginning of our Tertiary period ; 



