ANCIENT PLANTS 335 
to the student of evolution. But as most of the recent advances 
have been brought about by the investigation of the anatomical 
features of our specimens, their results have only been intelligible 
to those who have had considerable botanical training. iss 
Stopes has endeavoured to summarise our knowledge of this 
“marked changes in the character of the vegetation” correspond- 
ing to the cegerenagi of age vi., the older Paleozoic, from vii., 
the Archean; for unfortunately they are changes which o nly 
exist in fee, imagination. After dealing with the stages in slack 
evolution as illustrated by modern plants, the author in the next 
two prvi gives an outline of the somewhat extensive subject 
of anatomy; giving sketches of the chief constituent tissues. 
no previous anatomica 
apters Vili.-xvil. give 5 briat accounts of our spe oc i of the 
past history of the principal plant families. In chapte the 
author eigenen ee the isolation of the An soning ing Sat 
th of the plant world and the comparatively recent date of 
heir 6 teeth The raiiy with which the flowering plants appear 
and establish themselves in the flora of Upper Cretaceous and 
Eocene times, the way in ean they replace the Gymnosperms, 
and the striking similarity between the early leaf impressions and 
the forms of some present-day leaves, are facts which should 
plant 
to trust to these Lciiiain kisi ms or A draw Bech eS conclu- 
sions from the 
Chapters are devoted to the h Prien 
The re 
almost identical in outline with those of the modern tree have 
been found in such fem rs as North America, England, 
Russia, and the Arctic regio 
The past istics “of the 5: PubbiBoilpietitié Ferns, Lycopods and 
Torsetails are reviewed. The author soy does one to the 
esozoic ferns. They are dictitiiaid it ouple of gg oon 
but in reality should stan d in a very im fiapebeact ‘lai i any 
account of the past history of the group. Though true ferns may 
