1889.] CiLo/oi^n' and Palieontology. 809 
scenery of the Northern and Canadian Pacific railways, dwelling in 
particular upon the beauties of the peaks of the Rocky mountains, with 
their perpetual snows and living glaciers. He entered an earnest plea 
for the study of the scenery of this continent, as opposed to that of 
Europe. In the one case we have Nature in all her freshness, while in 
the other man's presence has thrown a glamor over the scene. 
On certain remarkable new fossil plants from the Brian and Carboni- 
ferous, and affinities of the Palcrozoic Gymnosperms. By Sir. Wm. 
Dawson. — This was an interesting paper, in the course of which the 
author reviewed the main features of living gymnospermous plants and 
mentioned their affinities with other classes. Mention was made of a 
remarkable fossil found by R. D. Lacoe, of Pittston, Pa., to which the 
name Dictyocordaites Lacoei was given. The specimen in question 
showed certain features which had previously been supposed to belong 
to several distinct genera, and it was thus the means of uniting them 
under one name. Various other specimens were mentioned which 
seemed exactly intermediate between distinct genera. To one of these 
the name of Tylodendron was given. The existence in Palaeozoic times 
of a large series of gymnospermous plants was dwelt upon, and the 
idea advanced that from the highly developed Gymnosperms of the 
Palnsozoic were developed, on the one hand the Acrogens, and on the 
other the Phanerogams, while the predominant family of that early 
time has degenerated into the meagre representation of our modern 
cycads and conifers. Although not an avowed evolutionist. Sir William 
has put a i)owerful weapon into the hands of working biologists by his 
description of the new intermediate or generalized forms mentioned in 
Mammoth Cave. By H. C Hovey.—\n this paper reference was 
made to the extent of the cavern, and to the fact that it is in sev- 
eral tiers or galleries, and that these have been cut through in places by 
the action of water. What appear pits at one level become domes in 
the one below. Mention was made of the discovery of several new 
pits, in the vicinity of what is commonly called the "Bottomless" pit. 
Some other name must be found for this, as its depth has been sounded, 
and is found to be ninety-five feet. Late explorations have revealed 
the fact that Scylla, Charybdis, the Bottomless, Covered, and four other 
pits, are all connected together at the bottom, and are there united into 
a large hall several hundred feet in length, to which the name of " Har- 
rison's Hall" has been given. The paper was illustrated by a large 
map and several diagrams of special portions of the cave. 
