tropical plants. 
93 
the cucumber or gourd tribe, the pod of a 
variety of acacia or mimosa, the seeds of 
cyprus-like plants, arid the fruits of some 
coniferous trees. There are also fragments 
of wood and stems indicating the presence 
of a species of the pepper plant, of several 
varieties of palm trees, and of several conif¬ 
erous trees.” 
Such descriptions savour more of the 
poet’s pictures, than of the sober narrative 
of the naturalist. 
“ Is it where the feathery palm-trees rise , 
And the date grows ripe under sunny skies ? 
Or, ’midst the green islands of glittering seas, 
Where fragrant forests perfume the breeze; 
And strange bright birds, on their starry wings. 
Bear the rich hues of all glorious things ?” 
“ Not there, not there, my child.” 
In Northern Europe the tertiary deposits 
are usually accompanied by subordinate 
beds of fossil wood. The nature of the 
contemporaneous animal remains, proves 
that in some instances these accumulations 
took place in a marsh or fresh water lake, 
* Ansted’s Ancient World, 269. 
