ANTHOLITES OF THE COAL. 663 



The first column marks the last appearance of several genera which 

 are characteristic of Paleozoic strata. The second shows those genera 

 which are characteristic of the Upper Trias, either as peculiar to it or 

 as reaching their maximum of development at this era. The third col- 

 umn marks the first appearance of genera destined to become more 

 abundant in later ages. 



As the Orthoceras has never been met with in the marine Muschel- 

 kalk, much surprise was naturally felt at first when V or 8 species of the 

 genus were detected in the Hallstatt beds. Among them are some of 

 large dimensions, associated with large Ammonites with foliated lobes, a 

 form never seen before so low in the series, while the orthoceras had 

 never been seen so high ; although the latter genus has since been met 

 with in the Adnet, or Lower Lias strata of Austria. We can now no 

 longer doubt that, should we hereafter have an opportunity of studying 

 an equally rich marine fauna of the age of the Bunter sandstone or 

 Lower Trias, the great discordance between Paleozoic and Neozoic forms 

 would almost disappear, and the distance in time between the Permian 

 and Triassic eras would be very much lessened in the estimate of every 

 geologist. 



ON THE SUPPOSED EVIDENCE OF PHiENOGAMOUS PLANTS (NOT GYMNO- 

 SPERMS) IN THE COAL FORMATION (p. 3*71). 



It has been questioned whether hitherto the botanist has obtained 

 from strata older than the Wealden a single well-determined specimen 

 of any flowering plants except Gymnosperms, such as Conifers and Cy- 

 cads. Hence some imagine that the most highly organized structures 

 of the vegetable kingdom were first created or developed in geological 

 periods comparatively modern, although the antholite of the coal (of 

 which a figure is given at p. 3*71) was classed by Lindley, so long ago 

 as 1835, as allied to the Bromeliacese. Mr. Charles Bunbury called 

 my attention lately to an antholite in his collection from the Newcastle 

 coal-field, which he compared to Antholyza, an Irideous genus, and on 

 which Dr. Hooker, to whom I have shown it, has sent me the follow- 

 ing remarks. 



" Kew, Feb. 18, 1857. 



"After a careful examination of the beautiful specimen of Antholithes 

 Pitcairnice which you have placed in my hands, I have no hesitation in 

 withdrawing the opinion which I formerly expressed to you (Manual, 

 5th ed., p. 371) of the possible coniferous relation of the genus Antho- 

 lithes. All the specimens I had previously examined were very imper- 

 fect, and suggested to me the possibility of the so-called flowers being 

 tufts of young leaves like those of the larch. In the specimen now be- 

 fore me, these organs are far more perfect, and confirm (as positively as 

 such materials can) Lindley's idea that Antholithes is the spike of a very 



