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THE EDINBURGH JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



Fossil Bones discovered in a New Dei'osit conkected with the Plastic 

 Clay of the Basin of Paris. — M. D'Orbigny, junioi*, has recently given an account 

 of the discovery of a deposit of a peculiar marine limestone, between the tertiary forma- 

 tion and the chalk, and described numerous organic remains occurring in the lower part 

 of the plastic clay. A trench that had been opened at Basmeudon, at the place called 

 Lcs Montalets, and especially an opening made at the same point into one of the gal- 

 leries of the challc-work of M. Langlois, exposed immediately over the pisolitic lime- 

 stone, several very interesting strata, of which no notice has until now been taken. 

 The lowest bed is composed of plastic clay and marl, with numerous balls and frag- 

 ments of chalk and pisolite, tovn from the lower deposits, and forming a kind of con- 

 glomerate. At the base of this layer are balls, sometimes larger than the human 

 head, of indurated pisolite, with milliolites, and some fibrous nodules of sulphate of 

 strontian. The organic remains found in this bed are: — 1. Marine radiaria and 

 shells torn from the chalk by the fresh water which flowed over its sarface ; viz. 

 Ananchytes ovata, Catillus Cuvieri, Ostreavesicularis, 3Jid. Belemnitesmucronatus. 

 2. Fresh water shells, Flmiorbis, Cyclas^ Paludlna lenta^ and Anodonta, contem- 

 poraneous with the conglomerate. Until now, no species of Anodonta has been 

 found in a fossil state; and M. D'Orbigny believes he has discovered two, which he 

 intends to name A. Cordierii and A. aniiqua. 3. Bones of fishes, which cannot 

 be determined. 4. Reptiles, which no doubt lived in the fresh water which formed 

 the cono-lomerate ; bones of fresh water tortoises, Trionyx ^ndEtnj/s; several teeth 

 of crocodiles, and of a kind of large saurian animal, nearly allied to the Mososaurus 

 or Monitor of the Maestricht chalk ; also a coproUte, containing small fragments of 

 fishes, and probably belonging to one of the reptiles mentioned. 5. Land quadru- 

 peds carried away by the fresh water. There is a considerable number of teeth, of 

 which two belong to a carnivorous animal of the Otter kind, the rest to pachyder- 

 matous animals, viz. to a large species of Anthracotherium, to a small species of the 

 same genus, and to Lophiodons. 



" The presence of these numerous bones of mammifera beneath the plastic clay," 

 says M. D'Orbigny, " appears to me to be of very great interest, as it ineontro- 

 vertibly demonstrates the existence of these animals at a much older period than is 

 o-enerally supposed. In fact, the only remains of mammifera hitherto found in the 

 lower 'beds of the Paris deposits, were the jaw of a Lophiodon, discovered by M. 

 Eugene Robert in the calcaire grossier of Nanterre, and two fragments of bones, 

 probably also of the Lophiodon, which Cuvier has mentioned as having- been taken 

 from the lignite of Laonnais, the age of which is uncertain. These latter facts had 

 alreadv modified the opinion formed by Cuvier as to the depth at which the remains 

 of mammifera might be found in the Paris deposits, and which, he presumed, never 

 went below the gypsum. Now, however, it must be conceded that these animals 

 lived at the period when the first layers of the plastic clay, which is the lowest de- 

 posit of the Paris basin, began to be formed. This fact once admitted, it will no 

 longer be difficult to admit, in like manner, some cases which have given rise to 

 much discussion, and which tend to carry still farther back the existence of these 

 animals. One of these is the occurrence of the remains of Didelphis Bucklandiy in 

 the oolitic limestone of Stonesfield ; another, that of impressions of animals recently 

 observed in the variegated sandstone of Hildburghausen in Saxony, and which some 

 natm-alists consider as foot-marks of mammifera or reptiles, while others assert that 

 they are nothing but vegetable impressions ; the third and most important refers to 

 the bones of pachydermata, lately found by Professor Hugi in the Portland oolite of 

 Soleure in Switzerland. 



From these observations, in connection with those made by myself, may we not 

 conclude, not only that mammiferous animals existed at the commencement of the 

 tertiary period, but even before it, and that further researches will lead to the dis- 

 covery of a much greater number ? 



In conclusion, it must be admitted, 1st, That the plastic clay of the neighbour- 

 hood of Paris is separated from the chalk by a distinct deposit, which may hence- 

 forth bear the nanie of pisolitic limestone, and which, from its containing only 

 tertiary shells, appears very clearly to be connected with the paleotherian or tertiary 

 epoch, and not with that of the chalk ; and, 2dly, That in the lower part of the 

 plastic clay deposit ne%v chai-acters have been found, demonstrating especially that 

 various kinds of mammifera lived at the period when that deposit was formed, and 

 that these mammifera differed greatly from those found in all the upper parts of the 

 Paris formation. 



Fossil Bones of the Casiel. — M. de Blainville has announced to the Academic 

 des Sciences of Paris, that he has been informed by an individual who has recently 

 arrived from India, that the fossil remains of the Camel have been found in the de- 

 posits of the lower ranges of the Himalayan mountains. The remains alluded to consist 

 of a cranium, which was discovered in a very hard sandstone, about two miles from 

 Ramghur, and six from Pingon. This skull, almost entire, appears to have belonged 

 to the single-humped Camel, Camelus Dromedarvis. There was also found in the 

 same place, the anterior part of the head of an animal intermediate between the^-i^io- 

 plotheriujn and Paleotherium of the Paris Basin; together with the tooth of a species 

 of Mastodon, aUied to M. angnstidens. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Expedition for Exploring Central Africa. — An expedition, under the su- 

 permtendence of Dr Andrew Smith, fitted out by some individuals resident at the 

 Cape of Good Hope, for the purposes of promoting the objects of science, and of be- 

 nefiting the commerce of the colonists, has recently penetrated as far as lat 23*^ 28'. 

 Dr Smith, in concluding his Report, states that the following are the principal results 

 obtained : — 



»' 1. It has put us in possession of much information respecting many tribes even 

 hitherto unknown to us by name ; and has enabled us also to extend very consider- 

 ably our knowledge of those which had previously been visited, by having brou-^ht us 

 in immediate connection either with them, or with persons who could furnish infor- 

 mation reg?,rding them. 



*'2. It has enabled us to ascertain the geographical position of many places pre- 

 viously doubtful — to lay down the sources and courses of various rivers which run to 

 the eastward — and otherwise obtain what will considerably add to the utility of our 

 maps of South Africa. 



*' 3. It has enabled us to extend considerably our knowledge of natural history, 

 not only by the discovery of many new and interesting forms in the animal kingdom, 

 but also by additional information in regard to several previously known ; and has put 

 us in possession of a splendid collection, which, if disposed of, will in all probability 

 realise a sum more than equal to the expenses which have been incurred. 



" 4. It has enabled us to ascertain that the Hottentot race is much more extended 

 than has been hitherto believed ; and that parties or communities belonging to it 

 inhabit the interior, as far, at least, as the inland lake, which we were told is not 

 less than three weeks' journey to the north of the Tropic of Capricorn. 



" 5. It has made us aware of the existence of an Infinity of misery in the interior, 

 with which we were previously unacquainted — a circumstance, which, in all proba- 

 bility, will lead eventually to the benefit of thousands, who, without some such oppor- 

 tunity of making known their sufi'erings, might have lived and died even without 

 commiseration. 



" 6. It has enabled us to establish a good understanding with UmsiUgas (a chief}, 

 and insure his services and support in the farther attempts which may be made to 

 extend our knowledge of South Africa, which, without his concurrence, could never 

 be well effected from the Cape of Good Hope." 



About sixty birds and thirteen quadrupeds, supposed to be new, are characterized 

 in an appendix to the Report. The number of specimens collected is as follows : — 

 180 skins of new or rare Quadrupeds ; 3379 skins of new or rare Birds ; 3 bands of 

 Snakes, Lizai-ds, Sec. ; I box of Insects ; I box of Skeletonsj Stc. ; 3 Crocodiles ; 

 2 skeletons of Crocodiles ; 23 Tortoises, nevr or rare ; 799 Geological specimens ; and 

 1 package of dried Plants. In botany, however, very little has been done by the 

 party, there having been no person attached to it for the express purpose of collect- 

 ing and drying plants. It is intended to dispose of the duplicates, and send the most 

 valuable part of the collection to Europe, to be exhibited for the purpose of raising 

 funds to enable the Association to send out other expeditions. 



REVIEWS. 



The Northern Flora ; containing the Wild Plants of the North of Scotland. By 

 Alexander Murray, M. D. Part I. 1836. Edinburgh : Adam and Charles 

 Black. 



The object of this work is, to present an account of the native vegetation of the 

 north-eastern parts of Scotland, " which might afford to those resident there the means 

 of acquiring a knowledge of the'native plants they may expect to find, without the 

 evident and well-known inconvenience, arising from the extraneous matter, occurring, 

 of necessity, in works of a more general character ; while, at the same time, a know- 

 ledge of our indigenous species might be imparted to others at a distance, who may 

 be interested in such matters." The principal objection which we have to the North- 

 ern Flora is, that the Uraits of the district or region, whose vegetable productions 

 are described, have not been pointed out, and the range of the Forfarshire hills having 

 been included, apparently for the purpose of taking in Mr Don's discoveries there. 

 We have had occasion, in describing several plants for a projected Flora of Scotland, 

 to refer to Dr Murray's descriptions, which we have invariably found to be accurate 

 and 'judiciously drawn up. The eharacters of the genera and species are not elabo- 

 rated in the usual manner ; and yet, in our opinion, they are exceedingly well adapted 

 to the wants of the student, whose aim is to determine a plant unknovpn to him expe- 

 ditiously and with certainty. This is certainly the most original of all our local 

 Floras, and indicates much patient research and discriminative acumen. The descrip- 

 tions are not always so full as we could desire, but the distinctive characters are generally 

 so accurately traced, that the young botanist can scarcely ever be in doubt as to the 

 species in hand, provided his intellect be of ordinary acuteness, although he will find 

 his examinations somewhat laborious from the want of a synopsis of the genera usually 

 prefixed to the classes. We object to the frequently tedious accounts of the real and 

 reputed virtues of the plants, which are quite unnecessary in the present state of 

 science ; and it is obvious enough that few people would apply to a Flora for infor- 

 mation on this subject, the proper place for which is a treatise on the Materia Me- 

 dica. The part pubHshed does not extend beyond the thirtieth genus of the fifth 

 class. In an appendix are *' Notes from the Ancients," by Francis Adams, Esq., 

 more curious than valuable ; and *' Observations on the agricultural properties of na- 

 tive plants," by the Rev. J. Farquharson, better adapted for the Journal of Agricul- 

 ture than for the Northern Flora. 



The Orniiliologist's Guide to Orkney and Shetland. By Robert Dunn, Animal- 

 Preserver, Hull. London. 1837. 

 We are much pleased with this amusing and useful little work, which, besides an in- 

 teresting account of the northern islanders, and of the author's wanderings among 

 them, contains an enumeration of the different species of birds found in Orkney and 

 Shetland, and afi'ords to the intending visitor precise information on subjects of im- 

 portance to him, such as the expense of boating, lodging, food, and other matters of 

 a like nature. Independently of its interest to the collector, it will also be found 

 useful to the student of British Ornithology, as indicating with certainty the species 

 that occur in these islands. 



Edinburgh: Published for the Proprietor, at the Office, 16, Hanover Street. 

 London: Smith, Elder, and Co., 65, Comhill. Glasgow and the West of 

 Scotland: John Smith and Son; and John Macleod. Dublin: George: 

 Young. Paris: J. B. Balliere, Ruedel'Ecole de Medecine, No. 13 bis. 



the EDINBURGH PRINTING COMPANY. 



