Trof. A. E. Nordenskiold — Geology of Spitzhergen, 71 



The Brachiopoda previously found on Spitzbergen were only Pro- 

 ductus WeyprecJiti, Chonetes perforata, Chonetes scutulum. 



Among the other fossils the preponderating number belongs to the 

 Carboniferous formation, as Euomphalus catillus, Monticulipora tumida, 

 Chcetetes radians, CyatJiopJiyllum ihicinum, and Syringoporce. 



The final result of these preliminary examinations is that the strata 

 from which the fossils are derived truly belong to a division of the 

 Mountain Limestone of the Carboniferous formation, but possess a 

 peculiar character from the intermixture of species occurring in other 

 countries only in the Permian formation. In consequence of the 

 occurrence of these Permian types, the supposition lies ready to hand 

 that the Mountain Limestone of Spitzbergen is a later link, if not 

 corresponding, at least analogous to the Upper Mountain Limestone 

 of Scotland, which is separated from the Lower Mountain Limestone 

 by a series of Coal-beds. 



C. The Carhoniferous formation proper. — Strata belonging to this 

 remarkable age have been found hitherto only to an inconsiderable 

 extent on Spitzbergen, namely, in Eobert's Valley, on the eastern 

 side of the great bottom glacier in Eecherche Bay. A river, con- 

 siderable for Spitzbergen, falls into the sea here. One of its banks 

 is formed of the high icebergs of the glacier very uneven and much 

 broken ; the other of vertical strata of sandstone and slate, which in 

 many places dip precipitously with a shelf 10ft. to 20ft. high next 

 the river. The slates alternate many times with the sandstone or 

 quartzite, and when wet are coal-black. Coal, however, does not 

 occur here, but abundance of vegetable impressions, especially in a 

 stratum of slate near the mouth of the river. A, complete description 

 of these impressions by Professor Oswald Heer will be published in 

 the Transactions of the Academy of Science (Stockholm). In a pre- 

 liminary statement printed in the Ofversigt^ this distinguished 

 inquirer says : '' Though most of the vegetable remains are so frag- 

 mentary as not to admit of accurate determination, it is fortunately 

 the case that others are so complete that they will certainly denote 

 the age of the formation. The most common are small ferns, of 

 which the greatest number belong to the group Trichomanides, of the 

 genus Sphenopteris. On the contrary, there are none of the larger 

 ferns belonging to the genera Fecopteris and Neuropteris, elsewhere 

 common in the Carboniferous formation. 



" The ribbon-like leaves of Cordaites ( C. horassifolia and C. primor- 

 dialis) and remains of Lepidodendron are also common. Of the latter 

 have been found several pieces of bark belonging to tree stems of 

 considerable age, and a couple of very beautiful cones ; younger 

 branches are however most common. The species belongs to the 

 same group as Lepidodendron Sternbergii, Lindl. Of Splienopliyllum 

 and AsteropJiyllites there occur at least scattered leaves. A character- 

 istic fruit, with point deeply cleft in two, allied to Bhahdocarpus 

 clavatus, Sternb., is also not uncommon. Of Stigmaria there occurs 

 a type with wavy grooved stem and large seams." 



^ Oswald Heer. " Anmarkningar ofver de af Svenska polarexpeditionen 1872' 

 1873 upptackta fossila vaxter," Of vers, af K. Vet.-Akad, Fork. 1874, No. 1. 



