160 J. S. Gardner — On Ettingshausen’ s Theory 
I have to add to the above tbat I visited the suramit of Mount 
Hermon during the summer of 1875, and while there obtained from 
the live rock, near the highest point at Kasr Antar, a specimen of 
Ehynchonella lacunosa. The specimen was not perfect, but there 
could not be much doubt about Avkat it was. 1t is evident then 
that we have at last obtained satisfactory evidence of the existence 
of Jurassic formations in Syria. The beds on the eastern slope of 
Mount Hermon are without doubt the White Jura and the Brown 
Jura of the Germans. These beds are examined at best advantage 
near Mejdel esh Shems, a small village about two hours north-east of 
Banias. The strata dip to the soutli-east and disappear under the 
Hauran basalt, which here reaches its limit. This Jura formation, 
liowever, does not seem to be limited to this place, but evidently 
reaches to the highest summit of Hermon, thus establishing the 
geological position of this mountain. 
I have a large Collection of these J urassic fossils ; but to Dr. 
Oscar Fraas, of Stuttgart, is due the credit of identifying them. 
Y. — On Baron C. von Ettingsiiausen’s Theory of the Develop- 
ment of Vegetation on the Earth. 
By J. Starkie Gardner, F.G.S. 
I. Genetic relationship of the Tertiary Flora-elements 1 to the living Floras. 
[Aus dem LXIS. Bande, der Sitzb. der k. Akad. der Wissensch. I. Abtk. März- 
Heft, 1874.] 
Baron Ettingshausen lias forwarded to me from Graz a series 
of papers, relating more especially to the Fossil Floras of the Ter- 
tiary Periods. We have been made familiär with these mainly 
through the translations of the works of Heer, Unger, and De La 
Harpe; but to most of the readers of this Journal the work and 
opinions of other Continental palaeontologists, such as Ettingshausen, 
Massalongo, and Saporta, are unknown. It may, therefore, not be 
out of place, pending the contemplated publication by the Palseonto- 
graphical Society of a monograph on the British Fossil Eocene 
Flora, to give in the Geological Magazine a brief analysis of their 
theories. 
In the first paper under consideration. Baron von Ettingshausen 
States that the present Vegetation is but a phase in the develop- 
ment of plants, and bas resulted from earlier and preparative con- 
ditions. By careful study of living plants, we may trace their 
genetic connexion with those of Tertiary times, and even with still 
more ancient Floras. But in this research, at present, the most 
important of Fossil Floras are those of the Tertiary Period, on 
account. of their greater resemblance to existing forms. 
In this period the types of actual living plants were in existence, 
although not then characterizing distinct phyto-regions, as we now see 
them, but all growing in close proximity. As examples of this we 
find, in the same beds of the Tertiary formation, remains of European 
1 I have preserved tbe original term Flora-element, although it is unfortunately 
open to more interpretations than the sense in which it is here used. 
