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Each specimen on display, with the exception of the 

 very large ones, is placed upon a separate wooden block, 

 and each one is labeled, giving the generic and specific 

 name; the family, order, or class of plants to which it is 

 referred; the geologic period and subdivision in which it 

 belongs, and the locality or region where it was collected. 

 All essential information of a botanical and geological 

 nature in relation to each specimen is, therefore, included 

 in the label. Whenever a figure of any specimen can be 

 obtained this is placed on the same block with the specimen, 

 and pictures of ideal landscapes, showing the extinct vege- 

 tation of certain geologic periods, as well as restoration of 

 certain extinct plants, are displayed in their proper cases. 

 The series of exhibits begins in the first cases to the left 

 as one enters the east hall of the basement. The sequence 

 of the specimens in the wall cases corresponds to that of 

 the floor cases. 



In floor- and wall-cases Nos. I to 4 may be seen repre- 

 sentatives of Eozoic and Paleozoic Time: Laurentian, 

 Cambrian, Lower Silurian, Upper Silurian, Devonian and 

 Carboniferous Periods. In floor- and wall-case No. 1 are 

 specimens of graphite of Eozoic age and of anthracite and 

 bituminous coal of Carboniferous age, showing the trans- 

 formation of vegetable matter into the ultimate condition 

 of pure carbon in the form of graphite or "black lead" 

 in the oldest rocks. Other specimens in this case, classed 

 as algae, are of uncertain botanical relationship, as the 

 structure of the primitive plants was not well adapted for 

 preservation as fossils. For example, some organisms ap- 

 pear as mere filamentous strips of graphite in white lime- 

 stone, without any trace of the original structure remain- 

 ing, while others may be seen as casts and impressions which 

 closely simulate in general appearance different parts of 

 the seaweeds now existing. In this series of problematic 

 fossils are also included a number of forms at one time 

 definitely classed as plants but now by some assumed to 

 be of animal or inorganic origin; namely, Scolithus, which 



