842 OLDER MESOZOIC FLORAS OF UNITED STATES. 
in this article without descriptions, and as such they are mere nomena 
nuda, but the types are at the National Museum duly labeled and acces- 
sible to all, so that there could be no question as to identification. The 
closing paragraph of this article shows that in the course of his exam- 
ination of this thoroughly representative collection, with the original 
small collection in his hands at the same time, Professor Fontaine was 
induced to regard the deposit as somewhat higher than he formerly 
supposed: 
From this it will be seen that the evidence that the age is Jurassic is stronger than 
for any other, and as the Oolitic plants predominate, we may assume with consider- 
able probability that it is rather late Jurassic, being about that of the lower Oolite 
(p. 275). 
All this, taken in connection with the close lithological resem- 
blances, seems to point to the practical identity of these auriferous 
slates with the typical Mariposa slates farther south. 
There are many causes that have delayed progress in bringing out 
the final report on the Oroville collections. Professor Fontaine’s 
manuscript containing the full descriptions and directions for illustra- 
tion was submitted August 11, 1896, but the Division of Illustrations 
was unable to take them up smntil the fall of 1897, .and owing to pro- 
longed interr uptions they were not completed svat the spr ing of 1899. 
The drawings were submitted to Professor Fontaine for revision and 
all steps taken to render them as perfect as possible. Having worked 
out the synonymy with special care I introduce the report into this 
paper in the following form: 
NOTES ON MESOZOIC PLANTS FROM OROVILLE, CALIFORNIA. 
By Wm. M. FonrAINE. 
The plants described in this paper were collected in September, 
1895, by Mr. Lester F. Ward, assisted by Mr. James Storrs. They 
were obtained near Oroville, California, from a formation which for 
convenience of reference I will call the Oroville beds. They were col- 
lected from four localities, which are all near together. The following 
are the localities: 
1. The old dump at the Banner mine, near Feather River, 5 miles 
east of Oroville, California. 
2. The new dump, 300 yards farther north than the old dump. 
3. Bank of Feather River, one-half mile south of the Banner mine. 
4. In the bed of a ravine that leads from the Banner mine to the 
Feather River, from one-fourth to one-half mile south of that mine. 
All the fossils occur on the same horizon. Mr. Ward says in a note 
that these Oroville beds closely resemble the Jurassic Mariposa slates, 
but the identity isnot made out. According to oral statements made 
by him, the formation where the plants were collected is in the form 
of a narrow belt, perhaps 500 yards wide, with a dip of from 70° to 80°. 
