GRINNELL LAND BY CAPTAIN H. W. FEILDEN. 69 



The most abundant foliage-leaves of Grinnell Land belong to Co- 

 rylus MacQuarrii, Eorb., sp., which is spread over the whole Arctic 

 zone and is nearly related to the living C. avellana, L. Very beau- 

 tiful leaves of C. insignis, Heer, occur ; this species I have also 

 received from Greenland ; and in the form of its leaf it resembles the 

 American Hazel. An Elm ( Ulmus borealis, Heer) is represented by 

 a couple of leaves and a fruit, and a Viburnum ( V. Nordenskioldi) 

 by several fragments of leaves. Both species are also known from 

 Spitsbergen. 



These trees and shrubs doubtless lived on the land, and covered the 

 plains and hills of this far northern region with green ; but that there 

 also existed stagnant water is shown by a water-Lily (Nymrphcea 

 arctica, Heer) of which the rhizoma, exactly agreeing with one from 

 the Ice-fiord, Spitzbergen, was found. Here the leaves and fruit could 

 also be identified (see ' Mora Arctica,' ii. tab. xiv. figs. 1, 2, 6, 7). 



The thick lignite bed of Grinnell Land would indicate a large 

 peat-moss, in which most probably a small lake existed. On the 

 shallow bottom of this lake the great rhizomes of the Water -Lilies 

 might spread ; and from them the leaves would rise to the surface of 

 the water. On the muddy shore stood the large reeds and the sedges 

 (Carices), the Birches and the Poplars, the Taxodia with their graceful 

 foliage, and the rigid-leaved Torellice. The drier spots and neigh- 

 bouring chains of hills were probably occupied by the Polar and 

 Feilden Pines (P. polaris and P. Feildeniana), by the Firs, the 

 Hemlocks, and the Hayes-Spruce (Pinus Dicksoniana and P. Haye- 

 siana). To these must be added the Elm and the Hazel bushes, 

 whose fresh green foliage will have served to break the gloomy garb 

 of the Pine-forest. This forest was no doubt inhabited by animals ; 

 yet hitherto only the elytron of a Beetle ( Carabites Feildenianus, Heer) 

 has been discovered lying with the plants. A further careful inves- 

 tigation of this important locality would no doubt produce more such 

 remains, and also promise a further rich result in plants. 



In the lignite itself we may expect to find the teeth and bones of 

 vertebrate animals. 



If we glance back at the facts communicated, we shall find that 

 they confirm and extend the earlier results in a most satisfactory 

 manner. As was to be expected, during the Miocene period there 

 appear in this most northern portion of the earth, for the most part, 

 the same species, with which we are already acquainted from Spitz- 

 bergen and Greenland ; and it is highly probable that the same flora 

 extended up to the Pole, and that, supposing dry land to have existed 

 there, this latter was clothed with the same forest of coniferous and 

 leafy trees. 



That the flora of Grinnell Land approaches much more closely to 

 that of Spitzbergen than to that of Greenland, is easily intelligible 

 from the greater difference of latitude. The plant-bearing locality 

 of Grinnell Land lies much nearer to the north-west of Spitzbergen 

 (Ice-fiord and King's Bay) than to Disco and the opposite penin- 

 sula of Noursoak, which have furnished the Miocene plants of 

 Greenland. 



