FOREIGN DEVONIAN. 295 



In the Eifel (Rhenish provinces) there are, below, slates and sandstones ; next, 

 the great Eifel limestone, the equivalent, apparently, of the Upper Helderberg ; 

 and above this, slates with an intermediate limestone, — the whole termed the 

 Gypridina slates. 



In Russia, the Devonian formation is exposed over a great extent of country. 

 The rocks are mostly marls and sandstones with laminated limestones. Accord- 

 ing to Kutorga, the prevailing order is marls below, then sandstones, then argil- 

 laceous limestone. 



There is thus a great diversity in mineral character, and no con- 

 formity in the subdivisions of the Devonian with those in America. 

 As already explained, these subdivisions are in general due to 

 causes that have acted too locally to be often alike and synchronous 

 in very distant regions. 



II. Life. 



Plants. — Europe and Britain have afforded, in addition to sea- 

 weeds, remains of plants related in genera to those of the Coal 

 period ; so that from an early period of the Devonian the land of 

 other continents besides America had its Ferns and Conifers. The 

 earliest fossil Conifer in Britain was found by Hugh Miller in his 

 lower division of the Old Red Sandstone of Scotland. 



In Groeppert's recent memoir on the plants of the Silurian, Devonian, and 

 Lower Carboniferous rocks, he gives 20 Silurian species, all Algse ; in the Lower 

 Devonian, 5 Algse and 1 Sigillaria ; in the Middle Devonian, 1 Sagenaria ; in the 

 Upper Devonian, 57 species, all but 7 land-plants. 



Animals. — The range of animal life was similar to that of Ame- 

 rica. A few species of Europe and America were identical ; but 

 the great majority were distinct, showing that the continents did 

 not derive their life from one another. But as regards genera the 

 identity was very nearly complete. The continents were marching 

 on with nearly equal step in the progress of life. 



Corals were abundant in Europe, especially Favosites and the 

 Cyathophylloid species, and coral-reefs were forming in the Eifel 

 and some other parts. Mollusks were most abundantly represented 

 by Brachiopods, and Crustaceans by Trilobites and the little Ostracoids. 

 Among Brachiopods, Spirifers were very common, and the genus 

 Productus made its first appearance, along with others of less pro- 

 minence. Goniatites also (a genus of Cephalopods) was a new type, 

 and became well represented before the close of the age. 



The sub-kingdom of Vertebrates included numerous fishes, — 

 some that were several feet long : they were all either Selachians or 

 Ganoids. A few are represented, of reduced size, in figs. 516-519. 

 With so powerful species in the water, it is not a matter of surprise 



