INTRODUCTION. 3 



trically, as at first sight to induce a belief that the original organization re- 

 mains unimpaired. In such cases, the observer will require to repeat his 

 observations and extend his comparisons, before he can arrive at any safe or 

 satisfactory conclusions. When he has become acquainted with a few gene- 

 ral arrangements, by which Nature has characterized the groups into which 

 she has thrown her productions, the observer finds the cloud which before 

 darkened his understanding suddenly dispelled. But this result can only 

 be obtained by the most minute and often repeated microscopic observa- 

 tions and comparisons, not only of fossil plants with each other, but of fossil 

 and recent species together. 



My principal object in presenting this work to the public, is to impress 

 upon geologists the advantage of attending more particularly to the inti- 

 mate organization of fossil plants ; and should I succeed in directing their 

 efforts towards the elucidation of this obscure subject, I shall feel a degree 

 of satisfaction which will amply repay my labour. The pleasure which I 

 have derived from my investigations, will be heightened by the reflection, 

 that I have communicated their results to my fellow labourers. At the 

 same time, I trust that the representation of the organic structure of recent 

 and fossil vegetables, which I now offer, will tend to throw some light on 

 the nature of plants hitherto seen but in a very obscure manner. 



If the attention lately paid to the study of fossil conchology has been 

 so highly instrumental in clearing up the many doubts respecting the diffe- 

 rent sedimentary formations ; if the works of Cuviek, Buckxand, and 

 others, have afforded us so many interesting proofs of successive creations, 

 from those of the early inhabitants of the deep, up to the more complicated 

 structure of the bird and the quadruped ; — may we not expect equal plea- 

 sure and instruction from an application to the study of these ancient vege- 

 table remains, which, when once properly examined, will facilitate our know- 

 ledge of the forms, characters, and qualities peculiar to each epoch, and of 

 the degree of temperature and humidity which must have existed during 

 each period ? 



These ancient fossils are the medals of our globe, recording changes 

 which it has undergone, and placing before our eyes innumerable specimens 



