258 
THE GEOLOGIST. 
leaves predominate, but remains of ferns are also numerous ; always, however, iu a 
very fragmentary condition. Monocotyledons are rare. Xo distinct remains of 
finiit have been found. 
Mr. Bunhury described twenty -three dift'erent forms (8 Ferns, 1 Monocotyledon, 
and U Dicotyledons), which he has l)een able to discriminate among these remains ; 
and added a list of those described by Professor Heer, in his memoir on the same 
subject. Each list contains several that are wanting in the other • M. Heer has 
thirteen which are not found in the collection examined by Mr. Bunbury ; and the 
latter collectii3n contains twelve that do not seem to be noticed by the Swiss 
Professor. The total number of distinguishable forms in the two collections 
amounts to thirty-seven ; the greater part of which must be considered as very 
imperfectly known. They gave occasion to the following remarks : — 
1. The most aljundant of the Dicotyledonous leaves and the most abundant of 
the ferns are, with great probability, identified with species now existing in tlie 
Island ; namely, Laurus Canarieiisis, Oreodaphne fa'.ens, and Pleris aquilina. The 
Pteris is a plant which has a wide geographical range, and accommodates itself to 
a variety of conditions ; but the two laurels appear to be confined to the three 
Atlantic groups of Islands, the Madeiras, Canaries, and Azores. Four other of the 
fossils appear to be very probably referable to species now inhabiting JIadeirn ; 
namely, Vaccinium Madere/ise, Erica arhorea, Woodicardia radicans, and Davallia 
Cnnarriensis. Of these, the Vaccinium is at present restricted to the Island of 
Madeira ; the others have a wider range. These facts may, perha]is, justify us 
in inferring (though certainly not with confidence), that the conditions of climate 
of the Island in the time of the S. Jorge deposit were not very widely different 
from those now existing. 
2. Certain other forms in the list (about four or five) are distinctly different 
from any now known, at least in Madeira or the neighbouring Islands, and appear 
to belong to extinct s])ecies. 
3. None of the fossils can be said to belong distinctly and positively to tropical 
families. 
4. Tliose forms, among the fossils, which are different from the present vegeta- 
tion of ^ladeira, do not show any marked analogy to the American or any other 
existing Flora. 
5. The fossil leaves from S. .Torgo show, on the whole, a decided analogy to the 
recent vegetation of the Madeira forests, inasmuch as there is among tlieni a 
predominance of undivided and entire-edged leaves, with smooth (not wrinkled) 
and glossy sm-face. 
6. The intermixture of abundant remains of ferns with those of Dicotyledons is 
a characteristic of this leaf-bed, in which it shows a complete agreement with the 
existing state of things in the Jladeira forests. Such an intermixture is not 
usnal in the plant-1)earing deposits of the paheozoic, secondary, or tertiary periods. 
7. The very small number of Monocotyledons hitherto found is remarkable, but 
may be owing to accidental causes. 
8. On the whole, the author is disposed to conclude that the vegetation of 
Madeira, at the time when the .S. Jorge leaf-bed was formed, was, though not 
absolutely identical with that now existing, yet not very different from it. But 
all such conclusions must be received with great caution. 
Mr. Bunbury moreover entered at some length into an inquiry as to the value 
of the evidence afforded by detached leaves of Dicotyledonous plants, and the 
degree of confidence due to concliLsions foimded upon such evidence, as to the affi- 
nities of extinct plants. 
2. " On a section of a part of the Fifeshire Coast." By the Rev. T. Browx. 
Communicated by Sir R. Murcliison, V.P.G.S. 
A section of the Lower Coal-measures, as exposed on the northern shore of the 
Firth of Forth, from Burnt-island to Anstruther, constructed by the Rev. T. 
Brown, of Edinburgh, was exhibited to the meeting. In his notes on the section, 
tlie author reuiarked that the limestone with which the section connnences at 
Burnt-island, the fossils of which have long been knov. n, is the eipiivalent of tlie 
B irdicliousc beds. Passing eastward through the Jlountain-limestone (500 feet 
