32 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
a view wMcli is in accordance with the nsual arrangements 
and analogies of nature^ considering the grander scale of 
vegetable architecture on which trees are constructed. Thus 
the antiquity of onr flora and its antiquity under existing 
forms are things exceedingly probable. 
The following facts recently brought to light tend to the 
same conclusion. 
Geologists have discovered in very old deposits of turf the 
bones of mammalia which ceased to exist before the historical 
epoch. The most remarkable example is that of the stag 
{Megaceros hihernicus) , found in the turf-bogs of Ireland and 
the Isle of Man. In these same turf-bogs the trunks of oaks 
and pines have been found belonging to species still existing 
in Europe. Sir Charles Lyell counted upon one of these oaks 
800 annual rings. The same facts present themselves 
throughout the north-west of Europe. They are of importance_, 
as the beds of turf are very ancient^ probably anterior to the 
presence of man in those regions. 
Sub-marine forests have been observed at many points 
of the coast of France and England_, recent in a geological 
point of view^ but ancient in other respects_, because no 
tradition or historical document makes any mention of them. 
The trees consist of oak^ birch^ hazel-nut^ and fir ; the same 
species as those growing in the neighbourhood. We have 
not space for any more- of these facts. Enough has been said 
to show that_, in all probability^ existing species are of very 
great antiquity. We shall now proceed to show that some 
of them have survived many geological revolutions. 
The vegetation of the British Isles is not only European, 
but it has been ascertained that it shows in certain districts 
well-marked affinities to that of particular portions of Europe. 
It is, in fact, a union of four European floras, three of which 
are restricted to definite provinces, whilst the fourth, besides 
exclusively occupying a great part of the area, overspreads and 
commingles with all the others."’'’ These four floras are each 
characterized by typical plants, indicative of a colonization 
from a particular continental site. Plate II. is a map of 
England and Ireland and part of the coast of France. The 
relative positions of these floras and the area of their dis- 
tribution are shown in this map by differences in colour. 
The arrows indicate the direction from whence the plants 
originally came when they migrated from the Continent. The 
flora of "fche British Isles comprises — 
I. The Asturian type . — This is restricted to the mountainous 
districts of the west and south-wesk of Ireland, where twelve 
or more species of plants are found in great profusion, belong- 
ing to the natural orders Saxifragacem, Ericace^, Lentibu- 
