INTBODUCTOBY CHAPTEB . 
37 
and Spitzbergen at a somewhat later period, repre¬ 
sented by the mountain limestone. Further research 
will probably indicate its occurrence in other northern 
countries. The bearing which these facts have on 
climate is thus expressed by Professor Heer : “ More¬ 
over the climate of Bear Island must have been as 
favourable to the growth of plants as that of Ireland 
or the Vosgesj although that island lies 26 ^° farther 
north; for the corresponding species are as large and 
quite as luxuriantly developed, and have even pro¬ 
duced more considerable coal strata than those of lower 
latitudes in the same period. Warmth, therefore, 
must at that time have been more equally distributed 
over the earth, whilst already in the Miocene time 
a great difference had begun to arise, which has in¬ 
creased immensely up to the present time. The 
climate must have been not only more equable but 
warmer, as is shown by the coral banks which were 
formed at that time in Spitzbergen, as well as by the 
enormous tree-like cryptogams, and the large-leaved 
ferns which Bear Island produced.” In Greenland 
fossil plants belonging to several periods have been, 
discovered. Those from Angiarsuit and Kassok 
are very old, but the age has not been determined. 
They however seem to be similar in character with 
those from the lower cretaceous beds at Rome. At 
