14 



BRITISH EOCENE ELOHA. 



known in the Bracklesham flora. In the same year the elytra of four Beetles were 

 figured by Westwood ;^ and Ruegg ^ mentions that the delicate leaf-impressions from the 

 Dorsetshire pipe-clays belong for the most part to the natural order Salicinea3. 



Nothing further was published until 1856, when the first attempt to give a general 

 description of these floras, and to determine their species, was made by De-la-Iiarpe.^ 

 Some 300 specimens were got together from all the known collections. From Alum 

 Bay alone 200 were examined, all being either in the possession of the Geological 

 Survey, Bowerbank, or Prestwich. Of the Alum Bay flora 48 species were recognised 

 and 43 determined ; 13 of these were said to be common to Bournemouth, 7 to Corfe 

 Castle, 3 to Reading, and 26 peculiar to itself. A Maple and a Poplar were abmidant 

 in individuals. Figs and Laurels are represented by many species ; the largest leaf is 

 that of a Walnut. Two or three Banksias are common ; but the most abundant in species 

 and individuals are the Leguminosse, which, he remarks, are absent at Bournemouth and 

 Corfe. 



For the Bournemouth Flora there was only a small number of specimens in the 

 Geological Survey Museum. Twenty-two species were, however, recognised, 13 common 

 to Alum Bay, 5 to Corfe, 1 to Counter Hdl ; all were dicotyledonous, except a small 

 parasitic Fungus. The species in the same Museum obtained at Corfe were identified, 7 

 as common to Alum Bay, and 5 to Bournemouth. De-la-Harpe enters into comparisons 

 of the floras, and bases upon them conclusions which were, perhaps, justified by the 

 imperfect materials then at his command. 



In 1859 Heer,'^ supposing the age of the Alum Bay leaf-bed to be the same as that 

 of the Barton Clay, alludes to them as " Upper Eocene." His trained perception led 

 him to detect the connection between the Alum Bay and the Sheppey floras. The 

 leaves of Apeibopsis, De-la-Harpe, are, he says, " perhaps from the same tree whose 

 fruit Bowerbank named Cucimites variabilis!' At Bournemouth leaves are found, 

 apparently of Ciqxinia, which may, perhaps, be combined with the fruit of Cupanoides." 

 The flora more particularly resembles that of Monte Bolca, 9 species out of 40 being 

 considered to be common to both. 



In 1862 the Geological Survey published a ' Memoir on the Isle of Wight,' in which 

 all the then determined fossil leaves and fruits from Alum Bay were tabulated (pp. 121, 

 &c.) and 21 species figured (pis. 5, 6, and 7), and described by De-la-Harpe (pp. 109, 

 &c.). This, the most important work hitherto brought out on the subject, was left 

 in the hands of De-la-Harpe, Salter having no responsibility in this portion of the work. 

 In the first introductory sentence by Salter the fossil floras of Bournemouth, Corfe, and 



1 ' Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc.,' vol. x, p. 381, pi. xvi, figs. 34, 3.5 ; also pi. xiv, figs. 4 and 8, see ' Geol, 

 Mag.,' vol. vii, p. 348o 



- ' Jourii. Roy. Agric. Soc.,' vol. xv, p. 394. 



^ 'Bull, de la Societe Vaudoise des Sciences Naturelles,' 1856. 



^ ' Flora Tertiaria Helvetise,' vol. iii, p. 314. ^ < Tert. Helv.,' vol. iii, p. 314. 



