400 J. S. Newberry on the Lignites and 
New Mexico are the chalky fresh-water marls deposited in 
basins of the present topography, and without fossil plants. 
The lignites of Colorado, which are so largely developed in 
the Raton Mountains, at Trinidad, Golden, Marshall’s, etc., have 
been studied by Mr. Lesquereux in place, and by him they, 
with their associated plant-beds, are regarded as constituting 
typical examples of our American Eocene deposits. As I have 
not visited that portion of Colorado where this great lignite 
formation is exposed, I will not venture to deny the truth of 
the conclusions arrived at b r. Lesquereux. I may say, 
The age of the lignites of Wyoming and Utah—of Carbon 
Station, Rock Springs, Coalville, Hallville, Evanston, Bear 
iver, &c.,—has been discussed at length by Messrs. King, 
Emmons, Meek and Cope. While it is admitted by all that 
there are wide-spread Tertiary deposits in Wyoming and Utah, 
and some of them contain lignite and fossil plants, it is claimed 
and me Lectern! proved, by the gentlemen whose names are 
cited above, that the lignites of the localities named are 
Cretaceous.* 
In regard to the Bitter Creek lignites, Mr. Meek shows that 
the evidence, if not conflicting, is at least indecisive of their age. 
he strata of Wyoming, which contain the newly discovered 
and wonderful vertebrate fauna described by Profs. Leidy, 
Marsh and Cope, are thought by these gentlemen to be clearly 
Eocene. But, though so rich in animal remains, they contain 
few plants, and these throw little light on the discussion. 4h¢ 
Green River plant-beds are placed by Mr. Lesquereux in the 
Miocene; but a small group of plants which I have from these 
beds includes palms (Manicaria) and other plants not found 
elsewhere in the Miocene of America. Mr. Lesquereux is dis- 
posed to regard palms as diagnostic of Eocene, but they are 
common enough in the Miocene of Europe, and they should 
have grown in Wyoming when the luxuriant Miocene flora 
covered Alaska suid Greenland. 
ow very ¥ of the question is gi . F. B. Meek in 
enn igre 
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