12 



BRITISH EOCENE ELORA. 



Amomocarpum depressum, and Fandanocarpum pyramidatum, and adds that many unde- 

 termined species of Carpolitbes occur there. In 1833 Lindley and Hutton, in the list 

 of fossil plants, prefixed to the first volume of the ' Eossil Flora, include the species of 

 Brongniart, with some additional forms based on portions of plants, as Palmacites, 

 Elabellaria, Caulinites, Equisetum, and Eucoides. 



In 1840 Bowerbank commenced a ' History of the Eossil Eruits and Seeds of the 

 London Clay,' which was to be completed in five parts. The first part was published, 

 but the second part, although announced as in preparation, never appeared. The 

 illustrations, by J. de C. Sowerby, are particularly well drawn. The descriptions of 

 Nipaditis are remarkably accurate, and the correctness of the author's approximation of 

 them to Nqni has stood the test of time. Not so, however, the thirteen species into 

 which the author divides them, it being now considered that few of these can be 

 maintained. The author seems throughout to have made too many species. It was 

 supposed that the fruits had been floated from a warmer clime; but Heer, in 1845, 

 pointed out that the leaves found at Alum Bay belonged to similar groups. Herne 

 Bay and other localities, in addition to Sheppey, have yielded fossil fruits ; and resin, 

 besides fossil wood, has frequently been met with at Highgate. The impressions of 

 leaves have been found in the Basement-Bed of the London Clay at Bai'net's End, 

 near Elemel Hempstead." I regret that I have not been able to see these plants, which, 

 if well preserved, are of extreme interest. 



Ettingshausen has entirely devoted four months' stay in London, made in connection 

 with our work, to a preliminary examination of the Sheppey fruits, and he is already able 

 to announce the presence of the following genera : — Pinus, Callifris, Salisbiiria ; Musa, 

 Sabcd, Elais, Iriartea, Livistona, Oenocarpus ; Qiiercus, Liquidamhar, Ni/ssa, Diospyros, 

 Symplocos, Magnolia, Juylans, Eucalyptus^ Amyydalus, Bauhinia. He further recognises 

 three genera of palms, which he is unable yet to determine, and several new and inte- 

 resting fruits belonging to Apocynacese, Cinchonacese, Cucurbitacese, &c. 



V. Elor.\ of the Bagshot Egrmation. 



The plants of these beds form, when united, by far the most extensive and varied 

 fossil flora, of approximately one age, brought together from any single country. In 

 treating of their Bibliography it will save repetition to consider them as one. 



The leaf-impressions from Alum Bay have been known for a long time, for the first 

 mention of them which I have met aUudes to them as already famihar to geologists. 

 The first published reference of these remains to any group of plants was by the 



1 ' Foss. Flora of Great Britain,' vol. i, p. xliii. 



2 'Mem. Geol. Surv.,' vol. iv, p. 586. 



