HEER, MIOCENE FLORA OF GREENLAND. 369 



recognisable species. If we add to this the additional species 

 mentioned by Brongiiiart and Vaupel, we obtain a total of 66 

 species. 



All the specimens of the Dublin and Kew collections come from 

 Atanekerdluk, as do also the specimens which Capt> E. A. Tngle- 

 field brought home, of which he deposited a portion in the Museum 

 of the Geological Survey, and retained a portion in his own 

 hands. The former have been kindly sent to me by Sir Roderick 

 Murchison, while I have obtained the latter through the goodness 

 of their owner. 



Fossil Plants from Atanekerdluk. — Atanekerdluk lies on the 

 Waigat, opposite Disco, in lat. 70°. A steep hill rises on the 

 coast to a height of 1 ,080 feet, and at this level the fossil plants 

 are found.* Large quantities of wood in a fossilised or carbonised 

 condition lie about. Captain Inglefield observed one trunk 

 thicker than a man's body standing upright. The leaves, how- 

 ever, are the most important portion of the deposit. The rock in 

 which they are found is a sparry-iron-ore, which turns reddish- 

 brown on exposure to the weather. In this rock the leaves are 

 found, in places packed closely together, and many of them are 

 in a very perfect condition. They give us a most valuable insight 

 into the nature of the vegetation which formed this primaeval 

 forest. 



The catalogue which I append to this paper f will give a general 

 idea of the flora of this forest of Atanekerdluk ; but before we 

 proceed to discuss it I must make a few remarks. 



(1.) The fossilised plants of Atanekerdluk cannot have been 

 drifted from any great distance. They must have grown upon 

 the spot where they are found. This is proved — 



(a.) By the fact that Capt. Inglefield and Dr. Rink observed 

 trunks of trees standing upright. 



{b.) By the great abundance of the Leaves, and the perfect state 

 of preservation in which they are found. Timber, hard fruits, 

 and seeds may often be carried to a great distance by ocean 

 currents ; but leaves always fall to pieces on such a long journey, 

 and they are the more liable to suffer from wear and tear the 

 larger they are. We find in Greenland very large leaves, many of 

 which are perfect up to the very edge. It is, however, dilficult 

 to work them out from a stone which splits very irregularly, and 

 consequently we can hardly exhibit the entire leaves in a perfect 

 condition. 



(c.) By the fact that we find in the stone both fruits and seeds 

 of the trees whose leaves are also found there. Thus of Sequoia 

 Langsdorffii we see not only the twigs covered with leaves, but 

 also cones and seeds, and even a male catkin. Of Populus, Corylus, 

 Ostrya, Paliurus, and Prunus there are leaves and some remains 

 of fruit, which could not be the case if the specimens had drifted 

 from a great distance. 



* For detailed sections by Prof. Nordeuskiold and Dr. Brown, see further 

 on. — Editor. 



f For a later and more perfect catalogue, scs further on. — Editor. 



36122. 



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