184 Concerning Amber. [ March, 
tic, and belongs to the Cretaceous. It is therefore proved that 
the Tertiary glauconitic sand has been made up of the green sand 
of the Cretaceous formation. Therefore the trees yielding the am- 
ber resin must have grown upon the green sand beds of the Cre- 
taceous which then formed the shores. of the estuary where the 
lower division of the Tertiary accumulated. Zaddach assumes 
that at that time the coast sank slowly, and the forest soil being 
washed by the waves the amber was carried into the sea. 
Immediately over these amber-producing strata rest the beds of 
the Brown Coal formation, the fossil plants of which differ entirely 
from the amber flora. Finally, Prussia was laid dry by an up- 
heaval of the rocks, and this ended for a time the recorded history 
of the country. 
Now ensued a new period in the geological history of Samland, 
when the climate and all the conditions of the country were 
changed. The mountains of the north which projected out of the 
sea were covered-with glaciers that extended down to the water. 
Icebergs laden with the finer débris of rocks and blocks of 
stone, were detached from these glaciers and drifted to the south, 
passing over land formed of Cretaceous strata. Without doubt 
there remained a considerable deposit of amber upon this green 
sand bed of the Cretaceous formation where the old forest soil 
still existed. By the icebergs this soil was now broken up and 
the amber brought down and scattered in every direction. 
Thus the fact is explained that amber nests are found in the 
quaternary deposits over all the plains of northern Europe. 
his epitome of Prof. Zaddach’s report seems to settle the 
question as to the birthplace of amber in Germany, and contra- 
dicts entirely the generally received opinion that it is the product 
of the Brown Coal formation, and also the theory of Dr. Feucht- 
wanger, that marine amber was a.later deposit or formation than 
terrestrial. 
It is apparent that the gum of the amber trees flowed out as a 
viscid sap to which all small objects, leaves, twigs, insects, etc., 
that came in contact with itadhered. Subsequent exudation cov- 
ered these and preserved them more perfectly than was possible — 
by any other method. In this way vast numbers of insects werè 
hermetically sealed up, over eight hundred species having been l 
discovered and many groups yet remaining to be studied . ae 
These give us much interesting information in regard not pe 
