608 Extracts from the Minute Book of the Geological Society . 
all the country west of Lake Winipic as far as the rocky mountains, 
and that there the primitive rocks reappear. On the verge of these 
mountains coal has been observed ; but their central parts are 
described as being composed of very hard rock, whose beds are 
vertical or highly inclined. Some specimens collected in those 
mountains were sent home in the year 1811, and fell into the 
hands of Professor Jameson of Edinburgh.” 
1815, Nov. 1Y. 
An extract of a letter from Mr. J. Templeton, of Belfast, addressed 
to J. J. Berger, M e D. on the formation of peat bog$, was read. 
“ Your request about the plants of bogs and of their formation, 
I will endeavour to answer as fully as possible. My theory 
is, that no bog is ever formed without an abundant stock of moisture. 
The greatest mass of bog almost uniformly derives its origin from 
impediments intercepting the flow of water from a valley ; a lake 
is thus formed ; in whose waters is only nourished if in the 
mountain regions, the Lobelia dortmanna, and sometimes the 
Sparganium natans with a few straggling stunted plants of Scirpus 
lacustris. If in the lowlands a greater variety appear, we may 
observe the curious “ Conferva echinulata,” floating like powdered 
verdigris; immersed at even great depths grow Sponges, the 
Charse, the Ceratophylli with numerous Confervas, and around the 
shores gradually approaching the centre; as their annual decay 
lessens the depth of water, we find various species of Potamogeton, 
the Nymphsea alba, N. lutea, the Lobelia dortmanna (if the shore is 
composed of sand or small gravel ) Polygonum amphibium, 
Sparganium natans, Scirpus lacustris, Arundo phragmites, Typha 
latifolia, Schoenus mariscus, Menyanthes bisfoliata, Alisma plantago, 
Phellandisum aquaticum, Sparganium simplex, S. ramosum, Cicuta 
