264 Prof. A. E. Nordenskiold — Geology of Spitzhergen. 



A complete description of the fossils from Cape Lyell and Scott's 

 Glacier will be published in a future issue of the Transactions of the 

 Academy of Science (Stockholm). In the preliminary notices quoted 

 above, Heer says : "■ The most common tree species at Scott's Glacier 

 were Popuhis arctica and Taxodium distichum miocenum. Of Conifers 

 there occur, besides the last named, Glyjptostrobus Europceus, a Sequoia, 

 and a Pinus. Of the last-named tribe only the common pine is met 

 with, while in the Miocene slates at Cape Staratschin, a great number 

 of species occur. 



" Monocotyledons are represented by grasses and Cyperacea, which 

 probably grew in bogs, together with the poplars and Taxodium. 



" Of deciduous trees and bushes we may name Populus (three 

 species), Betula, Corylus, Platamis, Tilia, Cornus, Acer and Sorhus. 

 The planes and lime-trees are remarkable for their large leaves; 

 pieces of bark of the former fallen off are besides not uncommon. 

 There is also a number of leaves, which can only be determined by 

 a minute examination. Some of them belong to the group, whose 

 place in the system cannot be considered settled, and which I have 

 brought together under the name Pterospermites. 



"The species occurring in preponderating number at Cape Lyell is 

 Taxodium distichum miocenum, whose pretty and well-preserved leaf- 

 bearing branches occupy whole blocks of stone. Here accordingly 

 had grown a Taxodium- wood, and we thus anew become acquainted 

 with the fact that this remarkable tree, which yet survives in the 

 marshy regions of the southern part of the United States, during the 

 Miocene period was one of the most common plants of the Arctic 

 Zone. We had already obtained the same plant from Bell and Ice 

 Sounds ; while the Glyptostrohus Europceus, which is not uncommon 

 at Cape Lyell, was not discovered on Spitzbergen before 1873. This 

 plant increases the number of the species which require a warmer 

 climate than that which I formerly (in the first volume of Flora 

 Fossilis Arctica) supposed to have been prevailing on Spitzbergen 

 during the Miocene period. 



" Of deciduous trees and bushes there occur at Cape Lyell the 

 genevsL Populus, Alnus, Quercus, Corylus, Fagus, Platanus, and Sedera, 

 with species, which have been already described by me from Spitz- 

 bergen, but of which in most cases much finer and more complete 

 leaves have been found. Of some tribes there occur new species, as 

 of Cornus, C. orhifera, Hr., and of Salix and Bhamnus. The genera 

 not before found on Spitzbergen are : Carpinus, JJlmus {U. FiscJieri, 

 Hr.), Grevia [G. crenata, Ung. sp.) and Acer. Two species of maples, 

 remarkable for their beautiful lobate and toothed leaves, occur com- 

 monly ; fruits of one species also occur. Grevia leaves are the most 

 common at " Hohen Ehonen " (Lower Molass in Switzerland), and it 

 is worthy of notice that the leaves from this locality, with respect to 

 the condition in which they have been preserved, completely corre- 

 spond to the leaves from Cape Lyell. A remarkable fruit, which is 

 uncommon here, is Nyssa Arctica, Hr., which formerly was only found 

 in North Greenland, and which stands in close relationship with 

 N. ornithohroma, Ung., from the German Brown Coal Beds. 



