714 



THE WONDERS OF GEOLOGY Lect. VII. 



The British species exceed 200 ; * I will place before 

 you a few of the predominant forms, which will serve to 

 convey a general idea of the nature of the carboniferous 

 flora ; for the greater number of the plants that are found 

 in the British coal-mines also occur in Europe, America, 

 Australia, and even Greenland.*)* The coal-field on the 

 shores of Lake Breton contains plants identical with that of 

 Newcastle, though 3,000 miles distant. J 



Such was, and is, generally the received opinion ; but it 

 is probable that more extended observations will modify this 

 conclusion ; for already an accurate investigation of but a 

 few specimens of fossil plants from the coal formation of 

 Australia, proves that the ancient flora of that country 

 differs essentially from that of Europe ; and no traces 

 have been observed of those remarkable and abundant 

 genera which are characteristic of the European and 

 American coal-fields — such as Sigillaria, Calamites, and 

 Lepidodendron.§ 



34. Equisetaceous plants. — The stems of several 

 gigantic plants allied to the Equisetum Jluviatile, or Mare's - 

 tail of our marsh lands, are very abundant in the coal 

 measures. While the recent species seldom exceed two 

 feet in height, and half an inch, or an inch in diameter, 

 the fossil stems often attain twenty or thirty feet in height, 

 and fourteen inches in diameter. The Equisetum columnare, 

 is a common species both in the carboniferous strata, and 

 in the oolite ; and in both formations is occasionally found 

 in an erect position. || 



* See Mr. Tennant's useful little volume, entitled, A Stratigraphical 

 List of British Fossils, London, 1847. 



f Prodrome d'une Histoire des Vegetaux Fossiles, par M. Adolpha 

 Brongniart. 



J Mr. Lyell's Travels in America. 



§ See Mr. Morris on the Fossil Flora of Australia, in M. de- 

 Strzelicki's New South Wales. 



II See Medals of Creation, p. 108. 



