84r J. W. CARRALL ON CHINESE CARBONIFEROUS PLANTS. 



from the nearest hill, Tang Shan, which I do not think is higher 

 than 300 feet or thereabouts. 



Prom the roundness of the hills and the way the chain is detached 

 in places, there is not the least doubt in my mind that this part of 

 the country was under water, and is now gradually rising, this also 

 being proved by the fact that, according to Chinese history, the city 

 of Tientsin was at one time situated on the seaside, and it is now some 

 twenty-five miles inland. 



Note on the Specimens, by W. Carruthers, Esq., P. U.S., F.G.S. 



The specimens from China belong to a single species of Annularia ; 

 and I have no doubt that it is A. longifolia, Brongn., which is so 

 abundant in our coal-measures in Britain, and is found on the con- 

 tinent and in Worth America. It occurs throughout the whole of 

 the coal-bearing beds, from the lowest to the highest. 



Newberry and others have described fossil plants from China asso- 

 ciated with beds of coal ; but these belong to Trias or still later 

 formations. The great interest of this communication is that it 

 records the existence of the true coal-measures in China, and gives 

 a range to a well-known Carboniferous plant, in harmony with what 

 we already know of other western contemporaneous Palaeozoic 

 plants. 



Discussion. 



The President remarked on the great interest attaching to the 

 discovery of these Coal-measure fossils. 



Mr. Carruthers pointed out the interest attaching to the com- 

 mencement of coal-mining in China. He remarked upon the world- 

 wide distribution of certain Palaeozoic species of plants. 



Proe. Judd spoke of the importance of this discovery in a country 

 the geology of which was so little known. 



Mr. Blaneord suggested that possibly future observation might 

 show that these plants were associated with Mesozoic forms. 

 The Palaeozoic flora had not a worldwide distribution. Mesozoic 

 types of plants had been observed in Australia in Palaeozoic beds. 



Proe. Seelet demurred to the conclusions of Mr. Carruthers as 

 to the distribution of Palaeozoic plants. 



Mr. Blake supported Mr. Carruthers's views. 



Mr. Carruthers, in reply to Mr. Blanford, said he believed that 

 the Glossopteris-heds of Australia are really Mesozoic and not Palae- 

 ozoic in age. 



Mr. Blaneord said the late Rev. W. B. Clarke had found Glos- 

 sopteris-beds intercalated amongst Palaeozoic marine fossiliferous 

 beds in coal-pits in New South Wales. 



The President supported the views of Mr. Carruthers and Mr. 

 Blake, in opposition to those of Prof. Seeley. 



Proe. Judd supported Prof. Seeley's views as to the existence of 

 life-provinces in Palaeozoic times. 



