16 Mr. J. Starkie Gardner. Fossil Plants and the [Dec. 18, 



figure of Torellia rigida, by Baily, is certainly no more than a frag- 

 ment of a monocotyledonous leaf. 



Monocotyledons. — These are of the usual character, proving that 

 several reedy plants are present. One of these is evidently the plant 

 known as Typha latissima, and in some cases the reticulated venation 

 is exquisitely preserved. 



Dicotyledons. — The leaves of about five-and- twenty species of trees 

 or shrubs have been obtained, a fourth of which may perhaps even- 

 tually prove determinable. There is fruit or foliage of an Aluns, 

 apparently identical with the Arctic fossil A. Kefersteini. The most 

 abundant leaf does not seem distinguishable from Celastrophyllum 

 Benedeni, Saporta and Marion, of the Gelinden Heersien, and one of 

 the widespread type of leaves known as Cinnamomum is represented. 

 The same water-lily, Nelumbium Buchii, Ett., that is met with at 

 Monte Promina and in the Aquitanian of Switzerland, is also present 

 here. Of the remainder, the pieces of MacGlintochia and of the oak- 

 like leaf of Glenarm Quercus grcenlandica (?) deserve notice, and are 

 relatively of small size. Most of the leaves in this deposit are in fact 

 small, and none are palmate or lobed. 



The most remarkable fossil is an echinated globose body, which 

 appears to be a fruit varying in size from a pea to a damson. It is 

 sprinkled in great profusion over some of the slabs, in the shape of 

 very deep cavities, which I for some time thought to be air-bubbles. 

 The larger ones seem to have been lobed. All other fruits, even the 

 fir-cones, are highly compressed, but this one is not in the least so, 

 and must have thoroughly resisted pressure until the beds were quite 

 consolidated. No trace of lignite, nor of other matters, remains in 

 the casts, though the impress seems that of an organic body, yet it seems 

 hardly possible to imagine any kind of plant to which it could have 

 belonged, so variable in size and of such strange consistence must it 

 have been. In spite of its organic look, there must remain doubt as 

 to whether these cavities may not be due to the removal of some 

 inorganic crystalline body. 



Glenarm. 



The mine whence these fossils are obtained had been under water 

 for several years at the time of my first visit. The collection made by 

 Mr. Baily for the British Association . was from the spoil-bank, and 

 also a few possessed by Mr. Gray. Mr. Swanston accompanied me on 

 a second visit, and fragments obtained by us from the spoil-bank 

 decided me to get the mine freed from water if practicable. Mr. Walter 

 Jamieson, of the Eglinton Works at Glenarm, kindly assisted, and a 

 fortnight's work enabled me to dig specimens from the bed in situ. 



Ferns. — A week's work fortunately put me in possession of several 



