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XIII. Contributions to the Fossil Flora of North Greenland , being a Description of the 
Plants collected by Mr. Edward Whymper during the Summer of 1867. By Pro - 
fessor Oswald Heer. Communicated by Professor Stokes, Sec. B.S. 
Received February 16, — Read March 11, 1869. 
General Remarks. 
I. The greater part of the fossil plants which have been brought from Arctic regions 
have come from North Greenland. Atanekerdluk (lat. 70° N.) is the principal locality, 
and there the remains of vegetable organisms are found in such profusion, that we are 
able, to some extent, to restore the ancient flora of North Greenland, and deduce most im- 
portant conclusions as to the former physiognomy and the climate of this high northern 
region. The fossil plants which were brought home by M‘Clintock, Xnglefield, and 
Colomb, and deposited in Dublin and London, were found at this locality, as well as 
the very rich collection made by Mr. Olrik, formerly Inspector of North Greenland, 
which is now to be found at Copenhagen. These materials, on examination, were 
found to contain 105 species of plants. Of some, the leaves, fruits, and seeds were ob- 
served, so that an absolute determination of their species was rendered possible ; while 
of others merely the leaves, and of these at times only fragments, were discoverable. 
Of these latter accordingly the identification cannot be considered as final. It became 
therefore a matter of great importance to procure additional specimens from this loca- 
lity, so as to increase our knowledge of the Arctic Fossil Flora, and also to ascertain 
whether similar fossils were of universal occurrence in the various lignite deposits of 
North Greenland. It was hoped, too, that remains of Mammalia might be found in the 
coal. 
The interest attached to these questions induced Mr. Robert H. Scott to propose the 
plan of an Expedition to North Greenland, to be carried out by means of funds furnished 
by the British Association. That body at the Nottingham Meeting voted a sum of 
money for the purpose, which was subsequently most liberally augmented by the Govern- 
ment-Grant Committee of the Royal Society. Circumstances rendered it impossible for 
Mr. Scott to carry out his idea of visiting Greenland himself, and Mr. Edward Whymper, 
who had previously made arrangements for travelling in North Greenland, undertook to 
obtain as good a collection of fossils from Atanekerdluk as possible, and to examine as 
many other localities as his time might permit. Mr. Whymper took with him Mr. 
Robert Brown, F.R.G.S., as collector. Mr. W ymper passed some time at Copenhagen, 
preparing himself for his undertaking, and sailed from that port in the spring of 1867. 
He arrived at the Colony of Jakobshavn in Greenland on the 16th of June, and on the 
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