Heer — Miocene Flora of the Polar Regions. 275 



form size, and nervation, but the edge in front is dentated. It was 

 apparently diffused over the whole north, for it can be proved to 

 have existed in Greenland, Iceland, and Spitzbergen. The species 

 of oak are found in still greater variety : there were eight kinds in 

 North Greenland ; most of them had large leaves, beautifully in- 

 dented, and they bear the greatest resemblance to American species. 

 One of them {Querciis Olafseni), which can be traced from Northern 

 Canada to Greenland and Iceland, corresponds with the Q. Prinm of 

 the United States. A plane tree also {PL aceroides) had spread over 

 all these countries — nay, was found even in the Icefiord of Spitz- 

 bergen. Numerically, however, the j^oplars were far more abundant 

 than the beeches, the oaks, or the planes. Two species {Populus 

 Bichardsoni and P. arctica), together with the Sequoia Langsdorffii, 

 were amongst the commonest trees of the polar zone, and can be 

 traced from the Mackenzie to Spitzbergen. It is a striking fact 

 that very few remains of willows are found, while at the present 

 day willows form one-fourth part of the ligneous plants of the Arctic 

 zone. Birches were abundant in Iceland; and a tulip tree, and a 

 maple with large berries {Acer otopteryx), also flourished there. 

 Remains of the walnut tree ; of a coriaceous-leaved Magnolia ; and 

 of a Primus (P. Scottii) came from Greenland : and a large-leaved 

 lime-tree was found in Spitzbergen (Tilia Malmgreni) : its leaves 

 were found at Kingsbay in 79 degrees N.Lat. 



These types of trees, which approach those of living species, are 

 accompanied with others of a different kind, the determination of 

 which is somewhat difficult. One species with remarkably large 

 coriaceous leaves (the Daphiogene Kanii), belongs probably to the 

 LauracecB, and four others {Mc Clintoclcia and Hakea) to the Proteacece. 

 It is doubtful whether the last-named plants took the form of trees 

 or shrubs ; the others, judging from the analogy of living forms 

 allied to them, very probably were the shrub-growth of that age. 

 To these may be added a species of hazel {Corylus M'Quarrii), which 

 was spread over the whole of the north, and is found in Spitzbergen, 

 even 78 degrees N. Lat. ; also an alder (Alnus Kefersteinii), 

 which was diffused equally far and wide. From Greenland up to 

 70 degrees N. Lat., we know of species of buckthorn (Bhamnus)^ 

 Paliurus, Cornus, Cratcegus, Ilex, Andromeda, and Myrica. Climbing 

 plants also were not wanting. A species of ivy (Hedera M'Clurii) 

 was foimd on the Mackenzie and in Greenland : there were also 

 found here the remains of two kinds of vines, and a third flourished 

 in Iceland. All three correspond with American forms. 



It would not be difficult, from this list of species, to draw a picture 

 of the vegetation in these high northern latitudes; it would show 

 us a mass of foliage of various tints, made up both of pines and other 

 forest trees — trees with great leaves of varied forms, their stems 

 twined round with vines and ivy, and under their shade there are 

 numerous shrubs, mixed with elegant ferns. 



How very different is the picture now presented to us in the polar 

 regions ! At the present day an enormous glacier covers Northern 

 Greenland; leaving only a narrow strip of coast free from ice in the 



