PLANTS IN THE COAL FOKMATION. 459 
these most ancient remains of the vegetable king- 
are preserved, in a state of integrity, little 
“^hort of their living perfection, under conditions 
*^1 oiir Planet which exist no more. 
SECTION II. 
''HGETABLES in strata of the transition series.* 
'The remains of plants of the Transition period 
^re most abundant in that newest portion of the 
deposits of this era, which constitutes the Coal 
formation, and afford decisive evidence as to 
^he condition of the vegetable kingdom at this 
•^arly epoch in the history of Organic Life. 
The Nature of our Evidence will be best illus- 
^*’fited, by selecting a few examples ) 0 f the many 
S^iiera of fossil plants that are preserved in the 
Strata of the Carboniferous Order, beginning 
''^ith those which are common both to the ancient 
existing states of Vegetable Life. 
Eqiiisetacece .'\ 
Among existing vegetables, the Equisetacem 
are well known in this climate in the common 
^orse-tail of our swamps and ditches. The ex- 
tent of this family reaches from Lapland to the 
* Sec PI. I. Figs. 1, to 13. 
t See PI. 1. Fig. 2. 
