70 PROF. 0. HEER ON FOSSIL PLANTS DISCOVERED IN 



We have previously pointed out (' Flora foss. Aretica,' ii. p. 16) 

 that the Miocene flora of Spitzbergen as compared with that of 

 Greenland would seem to indicate a considerable climatic difference, 

 inasmuch as a great number of more southern forms which Green- 

 land possesses — such as Castanea, evergreen Magnolia, Prunus, Ilex, 

 MacClintockia, and Coccolites — are wanting in Spitzbergen. The 

 same holds good with regard to Grinnell Land. 



On the other hand, the facts hitherto brought forward indicate no 

 difference between Spitzbergen and the plant-bearing locality of 

 Grinnell Land, lying from 3 to 4 degrees of latitude further north. 

 It is true that the Miocene flora of Spitzbergen is very much richer, 

 since we are already acquainted with 179 species belonging to it. 

 This, however, is probably due to the fact that Professor Nordens- 

 kiold and his comrades collected in Spitzbergen with great zeal and 

 success during several expeditions, whilst the plant-bearing locality 

 of Grinnell Land was only visited by members of the English Expe- 

 dition on a few occasions. It is to be particularly noted that Tax- 

 odium distichum and a Water-Lily still appear in this place. The 

 latter presupposes fresh water, which must have remained open 

 during a great part of the year ; and the Taocodium excludes an Arctic 

 climate. Indeed it only exists still in North Germany by cultivation, 

 and Professor Schiibeler's repeated attempts to cultivate it at Chris - 

 tiania were in vain (comp. ' Pnanzenwelt Norwegens ' by Schiibeler 

 p. 148). Representatives of plants now living exclusively in the 

 Arctic zone are wanting among the species of Grinnell Land ; but, on 

 the other hand, certainly most of the genera still extend into the 

 Arctic zone, viz. Equisetum, Pinus, Phragmites, Carex, Popidus, Be- 

 tida, Gorylus, Ulmus, and Nymphcea. Of these, however, only Equi- 

 setum, Carex, and Populus extend beyond latitude 70° N. ; the 

 remaining genera cease earlier. Pinus abies, L., reaches latitude 

 69° 30' N. ; the genus Phragmites, in P. communis, in Finmark, to 

 latitude 69° 45' N. ; Corylus, in C. avellana, to latitude 67° 56' N. ; 

 Ulmus, in U. montana, in Norway, to latitude 66° 59' N., and culti- 

 vated to nearly latitude 70° 1ST. ; Nymphcea, in N. alba, in Scandinavia, 

 to latitude 69° 11' N . These genera therefore appear in Grinnell 

 Land at from 12 to 15 degrees higher latitude. 



P.S., 20th Jan., 1878.— Mr. Edward Moss, Surgeon of H.M.S. 

 ' Alert,' collected some fossil plants in the same spot as Captain 

 Feilden, and has submitted them to Prof. Heer's examination. They 

 belong to 14 species, 4 of which are wanting in Captain Feilden's 

 collection. We therefore know at present 30 species of Miocene 

 plants from Grinnell Land. Descriptions and figures of all the spe- 

 cies will be published in the fifth volume of the 'Flora fossilis 

 arctica.' 



Discussion. 



The President, after expressing his sense of the value of Prof. 

 Heer's paper, referred to the great difficulties under which Capt. 

 Feilden laboured during his visit to the Arctic region, and remarked 



