ITistovia Nahiralis, Octavo N�,,

R� oct*

809

r-

THE

FOSSIL FLORA

OF

GREAT BRITAIN;

OR,

FIGURES AND DESCRIPTIONS

OP THE

VEGETABLE REMAINS FOUND IN A FOSSIL STATE

IN THIS COUNTRY.

BY

JOHN LINDLEY, Ph.D. F.R.S. amp;c.

PROFESSOR OF BOTANY IN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, LONDON;

AND

WILLIAM HUTTON, F.G.S. amp;c.

Avant de donner un libre cours a notre imagination, il est essentiel de rassembler un plus grand norabre de faits incontestables, dqjit-^s-cijfes�quencesnbsp;puissent se d�duire d�elles-memes.��Sternberg.

LONDON:

JAMES RIDGWAY AND SONS, PICCADILLY.

MHCCCXXXVII,

i

THE

FOSSIL FLORA.

NOTE

UPON THE VALUE OF NUMERICAL PROPORTIONS IN THE ANCIENT FLORA OF THE WORLD, WITH REFERENCE TO A DETERMINATION OF CLIMATE.

BY PROFESSOR LINDLEY.

� Si nous comparons cette flore ancienne avcc les floies des diver-ses regions du globe, sous le point de vue de la proportion num�-rique des especes des diif�rentes classes, nous n�en trouverons aucune qui lui soit compl�tcment analogue ; mais nous verrons que plus cesnbsp;flores appartieunent ci des espaces de terre plus circonscrits au milieunbsp;d� �tendues d�eau plus vastes, c�est a dire a des lies plus petites etnbsp;plus �loign�es des continens, et plus elles se rapprochent par lanbsp;proportion des diverses families de ce que nous connaissons dans lesnbsp;terrains houillers. Suivant I�observation faite en premier, je crois,nbsp;par M. R. Brown, et qui a �t� d�velopp�e depuis par M. d�Urville,nbsp;les Foug�res et les Lycopodes paroissent soumises d deux influencesnbsp;diif�rentes, qui d�terminent les nombres des esp�ces de ces familiesnbsp;par rapport au nombre total des v�g�taux pban�rogames : la temp�-VOL. III.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;B

rature est mie de ces causes ; rinfliience de Fair liumide et de la temp�rature uniforme da la mer, parait �tre Fautre. II en r�sultenbsp;que dans les localit�s �galement favorls�es sous Ie rapport de cesnbsp;derni�res circonstances, ces plantes sont plus fr�quentes dans la zonenbsp;�quatoriale que dans les zones plus froides ; mals quo sous la m�menbsp;zone elles sont beaucoup plus abondantes dans les Hes que sur lesnbsp;continens. Nous pourrions citer de nombreux exemples a Fappuinbsp;de cette proposition, mais ce n�en est pas ici Ie lieu; nous dironsnbsp;seulement que dans les parties les plus favorables au d�veloppementnbsp;de ces plantes sur Ie continent de FEurope temp�r�e, leur rapportnbsp;aux phan�rogames est comme 1:40, tandis que dans les m�mes circonstances, dans les r�gions continentales, entre les tropiques, M. R.nbsp;Brown admet que ce rapport est comme 1:20, et dansles cas naoinsnbsp;favorables comme 1:26.

� Sous la m�me latitude cette proportion devient bien plus grande dans les lies : ainsi, dans les Antilles Ie rapport des Foug�res auxnbsp;plantes Phan�rogames parait �tre a peu pr�s comme 1:10, au lieu denbsp;1:20, qui est celui des parties les plus favoris�es du continent Am�-ricain ; dans les iles de la mer du Sud, ce rapport, au lieu d��trenbsp;1:26, comme dans Ie continent de FInde et de la Nouvelle Hollandenbsp;tropicale, devient 1:4, ou 1:3 ; a Salnte-H�l�ne et a Tristan d�nbsp;Acugna la proportion de ces v�g�taux est comme 2:3 ; enfin, a Filenbsp;de FAscension, en ne consid�rant que les plantes �videmment indi-g�nes, il parait y avoir �gallt� entre les plantes Phan�rogames et lesnbsp;Cryptogames vasculaires.

� On con^oit done que, si des iles analogues a celles que nous venons de citer, existaient seules sur la surface do notre globe aunbsp;milieu d�une vaste mer, oil elles ne formeraient que des sortes denbsp;points �pars, la proportion de Foug�res serait probablement encorenbsp;plus grande, et, au lieu de F�galit� des deux grands groupes de v�g�taux que nous comparons, nous pourrions voir les Cryptogames vasculaires Femporter de beaucoup sur les Phan�rogames; c�est ce quinbsp;a lieu dans Ie terrain houiller, et ces consid�rations de g�ographienbsp;botanique doivent d�j�, nous porter a penser que les v�g�taux quinbsp;ont donn� naissance a ces d�pots, croissaient sur des archipels d�ilesnbsp;peu �tendues. La disposition des terrains houillers par lignes inter-

3

rompues, qu�on a appel�s des bassins et coinpar�s a des successions de lacs ou ti des vall�es, est au moins aussi analogue a la dispositionnbsp;la plus frequente des iles qui, repr�sentant les qr�tes de chaines denbsp;montagnes sous-marines, sont g�n�ralement plac�es en s�ries ; enfinnbsp;Ie morcellement du terrain houiller, et au contraire la vaste �tendue etnbsp;la contlnult� des terrains de calcaire de transition, qu�on peut consi-d�rer comme les d�pots form�s dans la iner qui envlronnait ces lies,nbsp;nous sembleiit confirmer cette liypoth�se.�� Adolphe Brongniart,nbsp;Prodr. p. 181.

Such were the opinions entertained by Monsieur Adolphe Brongniart in the year 1828, and suchnbsp;are probably the opinions of niatiy Geologists atnbsp;the present day ; for there certainly has as yetnbsp;been nothing done or discovered to call theirnbsp;soundness in question.

It however always appeared to me very doubtful whether such data as we possessed concerning thenbsp;Flora of the Coal Measures could be considered ofnbsp;a nature sufficiently precise to justify Geologists innbsp;entering into such calculations, in which, for themnbsp;to be of anv value whatever, a full knowledofe ofnbsp;all facts is obviously indispensable. It was, moreover, perfectly clear that the numerical proportionnbsp;borne by Ferns to other plants was rapidly diminishing as the examination of the vegetable remainsnbsp;of the Coal Measures became more carefully conducted. The very remarkable fact that Ferns arenbsp;scarcely ever met with in fructification in a fossilnbsp;state was also a circumstance upon which no lightnbsp;was thrown by the theory of a high temperature,nbsp;and damp insular atmosphere.

B 2

Taking all these into consideration, along with the constant state of disintegration of vegetable remains�a disintegration unquestionably not thenbsp;result of drifting�I was led to suspect that possiblynbsp;the total absence of certain kinds of plants, the asnbsp;constant presence of others, and several other pointsnbsp;of a like nature, might be accounted for by a difference in the capability of one plant beyond anothernbsp;of resisting the action of water.

Accordingly, on the 21st of March, 1833, I filled a large iron tank with water, and immersednbsp;in it 177 specimens of various plants, belonging tonbsp;all the more remarkable natural orders, takingnbsp;care in particular to include representatives of allnbsp;those which are either constantly present in thenbsp;Coal Measures, or as universally absent. Thenbsp;vessel was placed in the open air, left uncovered,nbsp;and left untouched, with the exception of filling upnbsp;the water as it evaporated, till the 22nd of April,nbsp;1835, that is, for rather more than two years. Atnbsp;the end of that time what remained was examinednbsp;with the results stated in the following list; innbsp;which it is to be observed that where no observationnbsp;is added to the name of a plant, no trace whatevernbsp;of that species could be found.

DICOTYLEUONES.

Hesult.

Pinn� quite perfect; but they had separated from their petiole, leaving a double rangenbsp;of oblique narrow boles in itsnbsp;front.

Quite pei-fect, except near the base where the pinnae badnbsp;dropped otf, leaving holes asnbsp;in the last instance.

22 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Quercus Ilex.

23 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;----suber.

24 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;--aiistriaoa.

25 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;.-pedunculata, (dry leaves.)

26 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;-Cerris, nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;(ditto.)

Miscellaneous Apetala.

27 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Buxus communis.

28 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;-balearica.

2!) Croton variegatunj.

30 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Myrica cerifera.

31 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Rumex Patientia.

32 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Coccoloba uvifera.

33 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Laurus foetens.

34 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;-campbora.

3.5 Casuarina equisetifolia.

36 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Dryandra speciosa.

37 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Ficus Brassii.

38 --elastica.

Polypetalcc.

1 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Magnolia gr.andiflora.

2 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Berberis glumacea.

3 ---repens.

4 --Aquifolium.

5 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;-fascicularis.

6 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Hypericum calycinum.

7 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Photinia serrulata.

8 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Eucalyptus pulverulenta.

9 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Myrtns communis.

10 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Mimosa scandeus.

11 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Eugenia macrocarpa.

12 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Scliinus Litri.

13 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Ligusticum Levisticum.

14 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Gastonia palmata.

15 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Sanguisorba officinalis.

16 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Pragaria virginiana.

17 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Eriobotrya japonica.

18 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Prunus Lauro-cerasus.

19 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Prunus lusitanica.

20 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Acacia verticillata.

21 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Bauhinia racemosa.

22 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Spartium junceum.

23 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Ceratonia Siliqua.

24 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Spartium scoparium.

25 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;-multiflorum.

26 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Brassica caulorapa.

27 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Cereus speciosus.

28 --brasiliensis.

29 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Saxifraga crassifolia.

30 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Tellima grandiflora.

31 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Oxalis acetosella.

32 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Aristotelia Maqui.

33 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Dodon�ea triquetra.

34 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Bcbeveria gibbiflora.

35 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Cotyledon sp.

36 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Francoa appendiculata.

37 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Ribes punctatum.

38 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Passiflora racemosa.

39 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Hibiscus liliiflorus.

40 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Reevesia sinensis.

41 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Pterospermum acerifolium.

42 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Astrapsea Wallichii.

43 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Banisteria clirysophylla.

44 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Helleborus odorus.

45 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Hedera Helix.

Monopetalce.

1 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Ilex Aquifolium.

2 ---balearica.

3 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Pbillyrea obliqua.

4 --latifolia.

5 ----� angustifolia.

6 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Jasminum revolutum.

7 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Olea europasa.

8 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Rhododendron ponticum.

9 -----azaleokles.

10 Kalmia latifolia.

11 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Arbutus Unedo.

12 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Andromeda calyculata,

13 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;-speciosa.

14 --pulverulenta.

15 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Gaultheria Shallon.

16 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Ledum latifolium.

17 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Caprifoliuin imple,xum.

18 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Viburnum sinense.

19 ----Tinns.

20 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Aucuba japonica.

21 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Bignonia capreolata.

22 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Acanthus mollis.

23 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Bignonia adenopliylla.

24 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Gesneria bulbosa.

25 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Gloxinia speciosa.

26 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Theophrasta Jussisei.

27 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Corynocarpus Imvigatus.

28 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Fagrma ohovata.

29 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Brexia spinosa.

30 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Clerodendron hastatum.

31 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Antirrhinum majus.

32 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Rosmarinus officinalis.

33 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Salvia officinalis.

34 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Phlomis ferruginea.

35 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Aster argophyllus.

36 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Sonchus arhoreus.

37 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Braehyglottis repanda.

38 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Mikania Guaca.

39 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Tussilago fragrans.

40 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Cyclamen europmum.

41 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Primula sinensis.

11

General Result of the preceding Experiment.

Acotyledones.

Fungi.................

Lichenes .............

Hepatic� .............

Musci................

Filices ................

Lycopodiac� ..........

Equisetaee�...........

Total.

Dicotyledones Apetal�.

Cycade�...............

Conifer� .............

Amentace� ............

Miscellaneous .........

2'otal.

-Dicotyledones PoLYPETALa;

Dicotyledonous Monopetala;

Mo NOCOT YLEDONES.

Palm� ................

Miscellaneous ......

This experiment appears to me to lead to most important conclusions. These things seem clear :nbsp;firstly, that Dicotyledonous plants, in general, arenbsp;unable to remain for two years in water withoutnbsp;totally decomposed � and that the principal

12

part of those which do possess the power, are Com-ferce and Cycadece, which are exactly what we find in a Fossil state ; secondly, that Monocotyledonesnbsp;are more capable of resisting the action of water,nbsp;in particular Palms and Scitamineous plants, whichnbsp;are what w'e principally find as Fossils, but thatnbsp;Grasses and Sedges perish ; so that we have nonbsp;right to say that the earth was not originally clothednbsp;with Grasses because we no longer find their remains ; thirdly, that Fungi, Mosses, and all thenbsp;lowest forms of vegetation disappear, and that evennbsp;Equisetum leaves no trace behind, which seems tonbsp;settle the question of Calamites being an extinctnbsp;form of that genus ; and, finally, that Ferns havenbsp;a great power of resisting water, if gathered in anbsp;green state, not one of them having disappearednbsp;during the experiment; but that the effect of immersion in water is to cause their fructification tonbsp;rot away.

Hence the numerical proportion of different families of plants found in a fossil state throws no light whatever upon the ancient climate of the earth,nbsp;but depends entirely upon the power which particular families may possess, by virtue of the organization of their cuticle, of resisting the action of thenbsp;water wherein they floated, previously to theirnbsp;being finally fixed in the rocks in which they nownbsp;are found.

157

PECOPTERIS ACUTIFOLIA.

Neuropteris acutifolia. Murray MSS.

Found by Dr. Murray in a new bed of vegetable remains discovered by himself, at a spot where thenbsp;Sandstone enclosing the shale, passing under thenbsp;Cornbrash and Kelloways rock, was denuded by thenbsp;falling of the rocks at the foot of the lofty cliffsnbsp;which guard Redcliffe Bay; just at the extremenbsp;of high water mark. It was accompanied as usualnbsp;in these Oolitic rocks by jet and pyritous Dicotyledonous woods.

It appears to be a species of Pecopteris, distinct from any previously noticed, but is very like thenbsp;following from the same locality ; differing, however, in its lobes being much more pointed. It isnbsp;also allied to Pecopteris tenuis, but is smaller in all

14

its parts, and appears from the drawing to have much fewer secondary veins.

We have to thank Mr. Williamson, Jun., for the drawings and notes that accompanied them.

Fig. 1. c. represents a magnified view of a portion of a leaf of Pecopter'is ohtusifolia contrasted with a similar portion of the present species,nbsp;fig. 2. b.

158

PECOPTERIS OBTUSIFOLIA.

Neuropteris obtuslfolia. Murray MSS.

Discovered with the last by Dr. Murray.

Mr. Williamson, Jun. has communicated the following note with his drawing.

� From the thickness of the small fragment of stem remaining it has been a bipinnated frond, ofnbsp;rather a large size. The stem, as is usual withnbsp;Ferns, is irregularly grooved or striated; the centralnbsp;stalk of the pinnules is straight, gradually tapering,nbsp;and has the strongly marked groove along thenbsp;centre : but whether the pinnules have been opposite or alternate I cannot say. They are alternatenbsp;and almost an inch in length. The midrib appearsnbsp;very small, but the centre of the pinnule is a little

IG

prominent, as tliougli trom tlie pressure of a strong rib at the opposite side ; the lobes are small, blunt,nbsp;alternate, and extremely regular; attached by thenbsp;whole of their base, which is but little broader thannbsp;the apex. On each side of the midrib is a seriesnbsp;of small sori, varying in number from 4 to 8, butnbsp;generally 6; they appear as if unconnected withnbsp;secondary veins, which are, however, visible innbsp;pinnules where there are no sori.� See plate 157,nbsp;1. c.

Fig. 2. and 2. a. represent fragments of Pecop-teris acutifolia.

159

SPHJ2REDA PARADOXA.

� A plant occuring in the lower Shale and Sandstone at Cloughton, and wdiich seems to throw some light upon the nature of those singular spherical bodies often seen in the shale, both there andnbsp;at Gristhorpe in the upper beds, and which hithertonbsp;have been called winged seeds. The fossil undernbsp;consideration, has probably been the stem or radical shoots of a Plant very analogous to, if not quitenbsp;identical witli the existing genus Pilularia, whichnbsp;has round sporules attached by similar very shortnbsp;stalks to the main root, so short indeed as nearlynbsp;to appear sessile, as they do in this specimen, butnbsp;in others, the capsule may be traced with a shortnbsp;peduncle.

�The central supporting stem appears from its its irregularity and general structure, morenbsp;similar to a root than to the stem of any vegetable,nbsp;especially as not any leaves can be observed innbsp;this or other specimens; and possibly it may benbsp;owing to the extreme fragility of roots that thesenbsp;seed vessels have been so rarely found in position.

VOL. HI. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;C

18

� The structure of the capsules would seem to have consisted in an inner nucleus, protected by anbsp;very firm cortical case, which occasionally is separable, and which is an additional point of resemblance with the recent Pilularia, only that thenbsp;extinct species must have been quite a giant to itsnbsp;present analogue.

�Now as to the theoretical deductions from the vast frequency of such plants in our Oolitic formation as Solenites, congeneric or almost identicalnbsp;with Tsoetes, and as Pilularia, both existing notnbsp;merely in wet marshy ground, but actually innbsp;water itself, what can we infer, but that the wholenbsp;of the district wherein they now occur, was anbsp;morass deeply covered in many places with water ;nbsp;and that fresh water, in which such plants grewnbsp;and floated, and which along with the Lycopodia,nbsp;and Ferns, some large and arborescent, othersnbsp;humble and delicate, were all suddenly overwhelmed by an irruption of the ocean, when thenbsp;saline impregnation soon would destroy vegetablenbsp;life in such plants, and the sedimentary depositsnbsp;through a long series of ages, would graduallynbsp;produce the slaty clay, and granular sandstonenbsp;now inclosing those beautiful and interestingnbsp;remains.

� Assuredly fire could not have been the agent of transmutation, because both resin and tanninnbsp;have been detected still existing in the scarcelynbsp;mineralized leaves of the Solenites, and of one or

19

two species of Cyclopteris, and such vegetable principles, though not changed by the action ofnbsp;water, must have been decomposed by intensenbsp;heat, or any combustion.�

Thus far Dr. Murray concerning this remarkable production, upon which we are really unable to offernbsp;any opinion. We have inspected the specimensnbsp;through the liberality of Dr. Murray; but theynbsp;throw no light upon their original nature so far asnbsp;we can discover.

Mr. Williamson, Jun., writes concerning the plant as follows.

�It is very coarsely and irregularly striated, and the curious lateral appendages branch off without any apparent uniformity of direction. Withnbsp;them, but separate and detached, are found manynbsp;singular berry-like substances, and the question is,nbsp;have they any connection with the plant. The stemsnbsp;of the smaller specimens are striated, but morenbsp;finely, and the lateral branches appear to havenbsp;been terminated by a kind of round or oval leaf,nbsp;which is now one homogeneous mass of carbonnbsp;without the least appearance of any regular veinsnbsp;or striae either in the stems or leaves. The carbonnbsp;is excessively thick, instead of being in thin laminaenbsp;as in most vegetable impressions.�

Fub: ly M^s�^BCdawn v. Lmdcn, Jiify. 1835-

160

SPHENOPTERIS CRASSA.

Erom the Limestone of Burdiehonse.

We know no modern Fern in which so great a disproportion exists between the pinnules andnbsp;rachis as in this very curious plant. There is alsonbsp;the remarkable circumstance connected with it ofnbsp;some of the pinnules being very short and othersnbsp;much longer.

The general form of the latter appears to have been nearly round, with three or more deep lobes,nbsp;and a somewhat doubly crenelled margin. Wenbsp;find, however, no regularity in the form of thenbsp;pinnules nor in their size.

The stem is remarkably speckled, but whether this arises from original markings, or from minutenbsp;fractures of the carbonaceous coating of the surfacenbsp;we are uncertain.

We have seen no trace of this species in any other rock than that of Burdiehouse.

22

NOTE UPON THE BURDIEHOUSE FORMATION. BY MR. HUTTON.

In the present number we figure two more Fossils from that remarkable deposit of the remainsnbsp;of the Vegetable and Animal kingdoms, that occursnbsp;at Burdiehouse near Edinburgh. In the yearnbsp;1831, we first visited the quarries in company withnbsp;our excellent friend, Mr. Witham, in whose collection we had observed some very fine specimensnbsp;from this locality, two of which are figured at platesnbsp;45 and 53, of this work, which were the first of thenbsp;Fossils from Burdiehouse that were published.

It had been our intention to devote one entire portion of the Fossil Flora, to the elucidation ofnbsp;the Fossils of this locality, and we were aware thatnbsp;through our observant friends, every new plantnbsp;found would be made known to us, but the varietynbsp;of the species occurring, bears no comparison tonbsp;the number of remains ; and, notwithstanding thenbsp;liberality of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, who,nbsp;through the kindness of their Secretary, Johnnbsp;Robison, Esq. placed the whole of their collectionnbsp;at our disposal, and also that of Dr. Hibbert, whonbsp;was kind enough to lend specimens of all he thought

23

peculiar, we are yet unable to make out satisfactorily more than a very few species.

The Fossils of Burdiehouse occur in a bed of Limestone 27 feet thick, remarkably compact,nbsp;uncrystalline, and uniform throughout; the Geological position of this Limestone, is low down,nbsp;probably very near the base of the Carboniferousnbsp;group of rocks, it is highly inclined, dipping withnbsp;its immediately associated beds, at an angle of 23�nbsp;in a s.E. direction, from the Trap of the Pentlandnbsp;Hills, the protrusion of which has evidently thrownnbsp;them into the position they now hold.

The vegetable remains occur in great profusion, and are to be found in every part of the Limestonenbsp;from top to bottom, and also, but more sparingly,nbsp;in the Shale beds, above and below it. There arenbsp;certain well defined natural partings, or seams ofnbsp;stratification in the rock, which as they materiallynbsp;assist the working of the quarry, often expose annbsp;even surface of considerable extent, in thesenbsp;partings the remains of plants occur in greaternbsp;abundance than any where else.

When we last visited the quarry (May 1835,) a large space was thus uncovered, which wasnbsp;thickly strewn over with elegant vegetable formsnbsp;most perfectly preserved, the black colour of thenbsp;carbonized plants, contrasting beautifully with thenbsp;light lavender blue of the Limestone.�Some ideanbsp;may be formed of the profusion of the remains thusnbsp;exhibited, when we state that in a space of 3 feet

24

square, we counted upwards of 40 specimens of Lepidostrobi, intermixed with Lepidophyllitesnbsp;almost without number, whilst scattered here andnbsp;there might be observed the elegant form ofnbsp;Sphenopteris Affinis ; so agreeable was the impression produced by the elegance of the forms, andnbsp;the sober contrast of colour in the stone, that itnbsp;struck us, the Calico Printer or Paper-stainer mightnbsp;here obtain a beautiful and certainly a novel device, for the ornament of his manufacture.

As before observed, vegetable remains occur every where throughout the Limestone, and theirnbsp;greater profusion in the natural partings of thenbsp;rock, may be accounted for by supposing these tonbsp;indicate (as they no doubt do) a period of repose�nbsp;a short cessation of the calcareous deposit, whilstnbsp;the parts of plants were constantly falling or beingnbsp;washed into the lake. There are doubtless manynbsp;discoveries yet to make of vegetable forms entombednbsp;in this interesting spot, but perhaps it is somewhatnbsp;unfortunate for our branch of the subject, that thenbsp;brilliancy of the discoveries in Fossil Zoology, asnbsp;well as the beauty and variety of the remains ofnbsp;animals which occur, have directed too exclusivenbsp;an attention to that department. Whilst thenbsp;animal remains are sought for with avidity thosenbsp;of plants go to the limekiln by hundreds.

Amongst vegetables the characteristic Fossils of this deposit are Lepidostrobi, Lepidophyllites, Lepi-dodendra, and Filicites; the rarity of Calamites,

25

which occur but seldom, and of a diminutive size, and the almost entire absence of Stigmaria, are verynbsp;striking, to those who are accustomed to view thenbsp;Fossil groups usually presented by the beds of thenbsp;Carboniferous formation; whilst the profusion ofnbsp;Lepidostrobi and Lepidophyllites of various sizesnbsp;and in various states of growth, associated withnbsp;the stems of Lepidodendra and those of no othernbsp;plant, is an additional argument for the opinion,nbsp;which has always appeared highly probable, thatnbsp;they are the fruit, leaves, and stem, of the samenbsp;tribe of plants. Of Sigillaria, a plant which in thenbsp;Flora of the Carboniferous group, generally is ofnbsp;so much importance, we could not observe anbsp;trace. No stems of Lepidodendra, equal in magnitude to the larger individuals found in the Coalnbsp;strata and other beds of the carboniferous deposit,nbsp;have yet been observed here; short portions ofnbsp;those of a smaller size, are met with frequently,nbsp;but these are invariably turned into coal, andnbsp;have lost a good deal of character, by the indistinctness of their outward form. It struck us asnbsp;rather a singular circumstance, that whilst conesnbsp;and leaves, and even the delicate organization ofnbsp;Ferns, were completely preserved, the majority ofnbsp;these robust stems had so little of their stronglynbsp;marked character remaining. Mere carbonization does not always destroy the outward form ofnbsp;Fossils, and if it had in the instance of these stems,nbsp;we should have expected to have found their

26

impressions upon the Limestone matrix, as it occurs upon the Shales, and even the rough grained Sandstones, of the Coal measures. May we not supposenbsp;these to have been portions of stems (for they arenbsp;mere unconnected fragments) decorticated by agenbsp;and exposure, before they were deposited here ?nbsp;The smaller stems of Lepidodendra not unfrequentlynbsp;are found intimately associated with Lepidostrobi,nbsp;and in some instances the cone and stem are seennbsp;in actual contact, but never in such a way as tonbsp;point out with any thing like certainty, that theynbsp;were parts of the same plant; perhaps, even as anbsp;collateral proof, the mere circumstance of thisnbsp;intimate association is not of much value, as fromnbsp;the abundance of Lepidostrobi, we ought to findnbsp;them in connexion with every other Fossil in thenbsp;deposit;�from their abundance, however, in anbsp;detached state, we may fairly infer that thesenbsp;cone-like bodies were easily disarticulated.

Although the vegetable remains enclosed in this bed are fragments only, yet from their sizenbsp;and character there is every reason to believenbsp;they have belonged to old and full grown plants,nbsp;whilst from the perfect state of preservation innbsp;which the most delicate of them occur, we mustnbsp;suppose that the plants themselves grew in thenbsp;immediate neighbourhood of the lake, and on thenbsp;banks of the streams that fed it, into which portionsnbsp;of them were constantly falling, or that partialnbsp;floods covering the land, carried off the lighter

27

parts only, from amongst the larger stems, and deposited them where we now find their remains.

One of the many quot;remarkable circumstances attending this bed of Limestone is, that all itsnbsp;organic remains proclaim it to have been producednbsp;in fresh water; in this it differs from the charactersnbsp;of the Calcareous beds of the Carboniferous formation generally.

Dr. Hibbert has in a luminous Memoir which he communicated to the Royal Society of Edinburgh,nbsp;and which is published in their Transactions (vol.nbsp;13.), fully established the fresh water character ofnbsp;the Limestone of Burdiehouse, and it is to hisnbsp;scientific zeal, which was ably seconded by that ofnbsp;Mr. Robison, that we are indebted for a completenbsp;knowledge of the organic contents of this mostnbsp;curious deposit. To the Royal Society of Edinburgh also, as a body, the scientific world arenbsp;deeply indebted, they having promptly steppednbsp;forward, at the suggestion of Dr. Hibbert, andnbsp;with a power which could be commanded by nonbsp;individual, rescued the Fossils from destructionnbsp;and dispersion, preserving to themselves one entirenbsp;set, which they most liberally lay open to all thosenbsp;who feel an interest in them.

The Burdiehouse bed, after a considerable interval filled with alternations of Sandstone, Shale, and Coal, is succeeded by another thick stratum ofnbsp;Limestone, having the usual characters of those ofnbsp;this formation, all its Fossils being of marine ori-

28

gin. We should not be surprised to find this much more generally the case than is at present supposed,nbsp;as many of the Coal, Shale, and Sandstone beds,nbsp;with which Limestone is associated, and whichnbsp;form by far the larger portion of the Carboniferousnbsp;group, bear undoubted marks of their origin innbsp;fresh water. Dr. Hibbert mentions several beds ofnbsp;Limestone near Edinburgh, besides that of Burdie-house, which possess this character. Mr. Murchison, also, describes one as occurring in the Coalfield near Shrewsbury, and we have ourselves hadnbsp;occasion to observe a belt of Limestone, almost ofnbsp;the same age and Geological position, as the Bur-diehouse bed, which is worked along with a thinnbsp;seam of coal, on the tops of the hills, west andnbsp;south-west of Wooler in Northumberland; wherenbsp;the remains of Lepidodendra and Stigmaria arenbsp;associated with those of the Cypris, and its alliednbsp;genera of Entomostraca. �

These alternations of salt and fresh water deposits, which are so well known in the newmr formations,nbsp;have led to the idea of a series of oscillatory movements, by which the surface of the earth, during thenbsp;deposition of the strata, was alternately broughtnbsp;within the influence of the ocean and fresh water.

It has been demonstrated that very large portions of the Earth�s surface have been thrust up far abovenbsp;the level at which they were produced, and therenbsp;are many reasons for supposing that this was anbsp;gradual and not a sudden operation.

29

In the splendid theory of Mons, E. de Beaumont, this forcing up is supposed to have arisen, from thenbsp;endeavours made by the outer cooled crust of thenbsp;earth, to adjust itself to the interior mass, whichnbsp;was constantly losing bulk, in its passage from anbsp;state of igneous fluidity, to one of hardness�cracksnbsp;being formed through which chains of mountainsnbsp;were protruded. Now supposing this, or any thingnbsp;analogous to it, to have taken place, the gravitationnbsp;of the large masses of hardened matter, betweennbsp;these lines of fissure or elevation, would formnbsp;hollows, which would gradually deepen as thenbsp;mountains rose.

If the depression of surface was great enough to bring it within the operation of the sea, and nonbsp;barrier intervened, then would deposits be formednbsp;containing marine remains, la3mr upon layer, differing in nature according as the silicious, aluminous, or calcareous matter predominated in thenbsp;waters. This would continue until the surface wasnbsp;so far raised as to shut out the sea, then freshwater deposits would succeed, differing in theirnbsp;character, according to the nature of the detritusnbsp;brought down by the operation of floods�until atnbsp;length there was a surface partially dry, fitted fornbsp;the growth of vegetables ; these, from the abun^nbsp;dance of moisture, and the high degree of temperature existing, would grow rapidly and to a largenbsp;size, until, by successive growth and decay, theirnbsp;remains formed a thick layer�a sort of peat-bog�

30

which, in its turn, by gradual depression, might be succeeded by a layer of mud or sand, being thusnbsp;sealed up, to become in after ages a bed of coal.nbsp;Marine productions would not again be present innbsp;the deposit, until the depression was deep enoughnbsp;to bring the basin below the level of the sea ; butnbsp;as the supply of detritus would be from the land,nbsp;the constant accumulation of this would again shutnbsp;out the sea; and in this way alternations of strata,nbsp;characterised by the presence of marine and freshnbsp;water remains, might occur precisely as we observenbsp;to be the fact in nature. Nay we ought not to benbsp;surprised, if we were to find in the same bed, alternate layers of fluviatile and marine exuviae ; it isnbsp;only to suppose, that the sea was shut out whilst anbsp;thick bed was being deposited, by which we mightnbsp;have marine remains at the bottom, and those ofnbsp;fresh water at the top, with a mixture of both between ; or the Fossil characters of the bed may benbsp;reversed, if we suppose the great depression whichnbsp;brought in the sea, to have taken place whilst anbsp;thick stratum was in the act of deposition.

It further appears to us that this view of the mode of formation of our Fossiliferous rocks, isnbsp;borne out by the nature and condition of their organic remains�the whole of which, animal as wellnbsp;as vegetable, we think, prove that the beds containing them have been formed in water of a moderate depth, and as it is abundantly establishednbsp;that there are alternations of marine and fluviatile

31

beds, even in deep-seated strata, we must �itber account for these, by a system of depression, suchnbsp;as we have been advocating�by which each bednbsp;was deposited so near the surface, as not to be unfavourable to the existence of animal life�or callnbsp;to our aid the theory of oscillation ; as we imaginenbsp;few Geologists will be found at the present day, tonbsp;advocate the old notion that the organic remainsnbsp;in these alternating beds of such differing natures,nbsp;had all been precipitated to the bottom of the samenbsp;ocean. To any one who may be found entertainingnbsp;such a notion as that the carboniferous group ofnbsp;rocks of the counties of Northumberland and Durham, for instance, were formed in a deep basin, wenbsp;would observe, that it is one whole unbroken seriesnbsp;of strata, certainly not less than 4 to 5000 feetnbsp;thick. �Is it possible to suppose that the Corals, thenbsp;Crinoidea, and various Testaceous Mollusca�thenbsp;remains of which we find in the deepest seatednbsp;Limestone and Shale beds in profusion, could existnbsp;at so profound a depth ?�or can we suppose thenbsp;Vegetables,�Stigmaria, Sigillaria, amp;c. whose remains exist in some of the lowest Sandstone beds,nbsp;alternating with these same Limestones, and whichnbsp;beds do not contain a vestige of marine life, couldnbsp;have found their way to the depths of such annbsp;ocean, without mixing with the remains of animalsnbsp;which existed in it in abundance? or, could portionsnbsp;of the most delicate Ferns, which, in point of preservation, rival the skill of the most accomplished

32

botanica] preservei�, and which we find in almost the very lowest of our secondary formations, havenbsp;found their way to such a situation uninjured ?

The great north of England Coal-field contains 25 seams of coal, alternating with beds of Shalenbsp;and Sandstone, forming altogether a thickness ofnbsp;8 to 900 feet�is it possible to suppose the vegetable matter, which constituted these coal seams, tonbsp;have been washed by floods from the land, andnbsp;sunk to so profound a depth ; every layer persistentnbsp;over the whole space, and of an even thickness ?�nbsp;or supposing such sinking to have been possible,nbsp;could the vegetable matter be free from any foreignnbsp;admixture as we find the coal to be ?

It is the opinion of Geologists, that most of the Saurian animals whose remains have been discovered, inhabited shallow water, in the immediatenbsp;neighbourhood of land upon which they occasionally lived�as the animals nearest allied to them innbsp;nature now do�and it is known to be the generalnbsp;character of living testaceous Mollusca, to inhabitnbsp;shoals of moderate depth, round coasts, rather thannbsp;the deep sea ;�this being the case, it is not unfairnbsp;to suppose their ancient prototypes to have hadnbsp;like habits. We are aware that it is even yet supposed that the originals of all the organic remainsnbsp;we find have been shifted and washed about in thenbsp;water,�drifted in fact far away from the spotsnbsp;where they lived. We have elsewhere in this worknbsp;given reasons, which to our minds are conclusive.

33

why this could not have been with vegetables;� the remains of animals of one species occurring sonbsp;commonly in the carboniferous formation, wherenbsp;their shells are found congregated together innbsp;thousands, of all ages and sizes, we think attest thenbsp;same fact ;�but in the Limestone of Burdiehousenbsp;the organic remains prove incontestably, that thisnbsp;was the case, for we not only have them of differentnbsp;sizes and ages, some perfect (as many of the smallernbsp;fish, retaining every scale), but in the faecal matternbsp;which is found abundantly disseminated throughout the whole bed, and from the examination ofnbsp;which we gain such a curious insight into thenbsp;habits and economy of these animals, and whichnbsp;would be of a nature incapable of being movednbsp;without dispersion, we are incontestably led to thenbsp;conclusion, that these animals lived and died innbsp;waters and near the spots where their remains nownbsp;exist.

Along with Coprolites, we find in the utmost profusion, so as even in some parts to make thenbsp;rock appear almost Oolitic, the shells of Cypris,nbsp;with other minute Entomostraca, whose habitat isnbsp;one of stagnant waters ;�upon these undoubtedlynbsp;the smaller fish had fed, as their existing representatives now do�they, in their turn, becoming thenbsp;prey of the larger kinds.

Were any other arguments necessary to convince us that the deposition of even our deepest seatednbsp;Fossiliferous beds, had taken place in compara-

VOL. III. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;D

34

tively shallow water, the Ripple marks so common upon them, which many Geologists think are proofsnbsp;of a deposit at or near the edge, of comparativelynbsp;tranquil water ; and the oblique bedding of Sandstones, which is taken to indicate the quiet depositnbsp;of sand, in thin layers, over lines of surface differing from those of stratification, would furnish usnbsp;with additional evidence. Both these phenomenanbsp;occur in many beds, even to the very lowest, in thenbsp;carboniferous formation.

The basin-shaped depressions we have been considering, would appear to offer the conditions which have, apriori, been thought to be necessary, to account for the tranquil deposit of most vegetablenbsp;remains, but particularly those so frequently foundnbsp;in the carboniferous series to stand vertically acrossnbsp;the strata;�for whether we consider these to havenbsp;been drifted from their places of growth, and tonbsp;have settled with their root ends down, or that thenbsp;Fossils now occupy the spot on which the plantsnbsp;grew, as we believe many of them to do, we equallynbsp;require a quiet deposit, in a situation removed fromnbsp;the destructive action of large masses of water innbsp;motion.

This view of gradual depression recommends itself further to our minds by its simplicity. It isnbsp;difficult to conceive, in the series of strata we havenbsp;had under review, that after the deposit of thenbsp;Burdiehouse system, a sudden sinking of surfacenbsp;should take place, to receive the marine Limestone

35

of Gilmertoun, which succeeds it in the section� this to be as suddenly brought up to be covered bynbsp;the alternating Coal series of Loanhead. Difficultnbsp;as this is to understand, it is however a simple problem, compared to the numerous sinkings andnbsp;risings that would be necessary to account for thenbsp;many and sudden alternations of salt and freshnbsp;water remains, which occur in the newer Fossilife-rous rocks ; all which oscillations have taken placenbsp;without leaving evidence of any peculiar disturbance in the strata supposed to indicate these movements ; indeed so quiet must they have been, asnbsp;not even to disturb the plane of stratification, ornbsp;alter the chemical nature of the deposit, that wasnbsp;going on when the change took place.

igt; 2

1�

lÉÉÜÉmÉifrr'—■ nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;quot; ■--‘'fltrmfii

' Jhib: ty Mi'S^r^B-'dgway. Li}ndi^n.Ju^ 1835.

161

LEPIDODENDRON LONGIFOLIUM.

Lepidodendron longifolium. Ad. Brongn, Prodr. p, 88.-Sternb, Flor. du monde primitif. t. 3.

Erom tEe Newcastle coal measures.

Although this is not to be compared with the beautiful specimen figured by Count Sternberg,nbsp;which was 2^ feet long, with leaves 18 inches innbsp;length, yet it is interesting as shewing this remarkable plant in a new state. In Count Sternberg�snbsp;specimen the branch was nearly cylindrical andnbsp;very slender, but here it is more thick and compressed, as if it had been distending into a cone,nbsp;or something of the sort.

In its general aspect it resembles very much Pinus palustris or longifolia, but it appears to have

38

had its leaves growing solitary and not in pairs and dusters, and therefore could not even havenbsp;belonged to the genus Pinus. In all probabilitynbsp;it was another form of that extinct race whichnbsp;held a middle place between Lycopodiacese andnbsp;Coniferous plants, as we have already explained.nbsp;See t. 98 and 99.

(Jm t

162

LEPIDOSTROBUS COMOSUS.

Erom the Burdiehouse limestone.

Apparently a distinct species of this genus, differing from the other published kinds in itsnbsp;much larger size, in its conical figure, and in thenbsp;very shaggy appearance of its outside. It isnbsp;impossible to say positively what it is that hasnbsp;produced this appearance, but it is probable thatnbsp;it is owing to the great length of the points of thenbsp;scales of which such cones consisted.

Drawn from a specimen belonging to the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

. . nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;, . u.x-i

� ' c- j ';;; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;3.:;

.!;� �,;3�i;oo' ; u;x: r � �a':'ncl'gt;�':s x;r3:;

�

�quot;?V' �� nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;,.

'3 nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;X,,

163

LEPiDOSTROBUS ORNATUS; var. didynms.

See tab. 26.

The beautiful specimens from which this drawing has been taken were communicated to us through Professor Graham by Lord Greenock,nbsp;who found them in the Ironstone at Newhaven,nbsp;near Edinburgh.

They are an instance of apparent malformation, in consequence of two cones having grown together,nbsp;but they do not throw any more light upon thenbsp;real structure of Lepidostrobus than has alreadynbsp;been given at t. 26 of this work. They are, however, so extremely beautiful, in consequence of the

42

skilful manner in which they have been polished, that we gladly seize an opportunity of makingnbsp;them known.

It would seem as if a Palm leaf had been pressed over the outside of the cone at fig. 1.

164

PINUS ANTHRACINA.

From a single specimen found in the Coal measures of Newcastle by Mr. Buddie this figure has been taken. It is too imperfect to enable us tonbsp;form any other opinion concerning it, than that itnbsp;was the cone of a Fir, which in all probability,nbsp;belonged to the modern genus Pinus, if we are tonbsp;judge from the great thickness of its scales.

We know no modern species with which it would be of any use to compare it.

j ' nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;' . ' :.L coinbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;.n-::; :. i' �

i-it� vn;. i:r(

,ig nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;-i.C'/i

i:::;:'-.-/ nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;r;^v�nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;.K'rvfXu: c�; -nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;;

.1:

165

ZAMIA GIGAS.

One of the largest of this genus found in the Oolitic rocks of Scarborough. It has occurrednbsp;as much as three feet in length. Mr. Williamson,nbsp;Jun., whose drawing we use, informs us that itsnbsp;leaflets are sharp pointed, with regular veins whichnbsp;are simple, and, like those of most monocotyledons,nbsp;terminate at the narrow apex, though some of themnbsp;have formed little points on the margin of thenbsp;leaflets. The latter circumstance may he considered to indicate the commencement of lateralnbsp;teeth, and if so the identity of this and similarnbsp;remains with modern Zamias will be more stronglynbsp;than ever demonstrated; because Zamia is thenbsp;only modern Cycadeous genus known in whichnbsp;the leaflets have lateral points.

If it were not for the manner in which the veins are distributed, we should have supposed this to

46

be the same as the Cycadites latifolius, figured by Professor Philips at t. x. f. 3, of his second editionnbsp;of the Geology of the Yorkshire Coast. But innbsp;that plant the veins are represented as losing themselves in the margin along the whole of the uppernbsp;edge of the leaflets, and not terminating in almostnbsp;all cases in the apex.

i

� ''^�

166

STIGMARIA FICOIDES. (Its Anatomy.)

See tab. 31 to 56.

We have so frequently referred to this extraordinary fossil already, and have so continually insisted upon the impossibility of forming anynbsp;opinion of what it really was, that we have peculiarnbsp;satisfaction in being able at last to prove thenbsp;correctness of our supposition, that it was in realitynbsp;a plant of which no modern analogue exists, bynbsp;its anatomy. For this we are indebted to ournbsp;friend Mr. Prestwich, who placed in our handsnbsp;some time since a fragment of Stigmaria, preservednbsp;in Ironstone from Colebrooke dale, which seemednbsp;to promise some preservation of tissue. Uponnbsp;being polished by Mr. Cuttell, an ingeniousnbsp;London lapidary, and a worthy rival of Mr. Sanderson of Edinburgh, it presented the appearancesnbsp;here represented.

The transverse section exhibited a meshing something like that of Coniferse, but with no con-

48

centric circles, and with the medullary rays consisting rather of open spaces between the other tissue, than of the common muriform tissue foundnbsp;in such places. The longitudinal section (jig. 2.)nbsp;presented an assemblage of spiral vessels, of anbsp;very tortuous and unequal figure, without anynbsp;woody or cellular matter intermixed.

These formed a cylinder which was surrounded externally by a mass of inorganic mineral matter,nbsp;upon whose surface the peculiar markings of Stig-maria were preserved, and which enclosed a hollownbsp;cavity altogether destitute of mineral deposit.

It would therefore appear that Stigmaria was a plant with a very thick cellular coating or bark,nbsp;surrounding a hollow cylinder, composed exclusively of spiral vessels, and containing a rathernbsp;thick pith; and that the plates of cellular tissuenbsp;which preserved the communication between thenbsp;bark and the pith were of so delicate an organization, that they disappeared under the mineralizingnbsp;process which fixed the organic characters of thenbsp;wood.

It is almost needless to say that no plants of the present day have such a structure, and that consequently our original impression that Stigmarianbsp;represents an altogether extinct race was correct.

We must, however, remark that we strongly suspect our Caulopteris gracilis, (t. 141.) to be thenbsp;same thing, as well as Mr. Witham�s Anahathranbsp;pulcherrima.

107

THUITES EXPANSES.

Thultes expansus. Sternh. Fl. der vorw. t. 38. fol. 1, nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;2.

Phillips Geol. Yorhs. t. 10, �. 11.

From the lower Sandstone shale and coal of the Oolitic beds near Scarborough.

Mr. Williamson, Jun., remarks that this plant, � in its general form and mode of branching, bearsnbsp;a considerable resemblance to Lycopodites William-sonis, but differs from that plant in the scales beingnbsp;shorter, broader, and more flattened, and also in

the absence of stipules. It is seldom found large: VOL. in.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;E

50

I never saw it more than twice the length of the drawing. The scales have apparently been equallynbsp;attached to the stem on every side. They arenbsp;nearly as broad as long, and furnished at the apexnbsp;with an obtuse muci'o. There is a slight elevationnbsp;at the centre, which nearly disappears at the base,nbsp;and there is an indistinct marginal depression.nbsp;The species resembles in a remarkable degreenbsp;Brongniart�s Fucoides Brardii.��

This is undoubtedly true; and we cannot but wonder that so good a Botanist as Adolphe Brong-niart should have referred such remains to the tribenbsp;of sea weeds. The species is so extremely close tonbsp;Coniferous plants related to Callitris and Dacry-dium that, although we are unable to identify itnbsp;with any existing plant, yet we cannot supposenbsp;that it was not nearly allied to them, and we do notnbsp;see how it is to be distinguished from the Fucoidesnbsp;Brardii already mentioned, which is from beds ofnbsp;lignite below the chalk.

It scarcely answers to the genus Thuites, its branches having ajiparently been round instead ofnbsp;flat; but we leave it with the name it already bears,nbsp;in the hope that its true place will be determined

51

by Adolphe Brongniart in his general view of Fossil Conifer86.

The intramarginal veins and very prominent midrib of the leaves, are probably owing to shrinking after long maceration in water.

^ a

168

SPHENOPTERIS ARGUTA.

From the Oolitic rocks of Scarborough. Supplied by Mr. AFilliamson, Jmi., with the following note.

� A bipinnated frond of small size, but of remarkable elegance. The central rib is prominentnbsp;but bears no marks of any angles. The leafletsnbsp;are rhomboidal, the lower ones with from 5 to 9nbsp;lobes, which are generally split at their ends, thenbsp;lobe at the base of each leaflet being generally thenbsp;largest. The veins are very indistinct, but certainlynbsp;forked, one branch entering each lobe. Towardsnbsp;the apex of the frond the leaflets are very small,nbsp;but once or twice lobed, and that on the uppernbsp;edge only. In the lower leaflets the lobes arenbsp;almost always opposite, and the connecting portionnbsp;between each pair but little more than the diameternbsp;of the central rib. We have no species ot Sphe-nopteris with which this can be compared. It isnbsp;decidedly difierent from Sph, stipata, as well asnbsp;Sph. Jiymenophylloides, the latter of which in particular has shallower lobes to the frond.�

7��f'. /��; ATe/s^''J^r.7i7^av-7.gt;'r'-7^�gt;i-. ^ct. I83f^.

169

PECOPTERIS DENTATA.

� Pecopteris dentata. Williamson in Uit.

From the Oolitic beds at Gristhorpe Bay, near Scarborough ; communicated by Mr. Williamson,nbsp;Jun., who writes as follows :

� The stem is smooth, gradually tapering, and as usual has a central depression. The pinnulesnbsp;are generally alternate, but in pairs near the apex.nbsp;To judge from their extreme regularity in width,nbsp;they must have been of a great length. The leafletsnbsp;are alternate, about j of an inch in length, andnbsp;very closely connected at their base; the apex isnbsp;slightly but distinctly denticulated. The centralnbsp;nerve runs nearly to the apex where it forks. Thenbsp;basal pair of nervures is bifurcated, the othersnbsp;simply furcate. The most remarkable character of

56'

tlie plant is the extreme strength and distinctness of the nerves, which in some specimens are of anbsp;deep black, whilst the other parts of the leafletsnbsp;present the rich brown of the autumnal leaf. Thenbsp;leaflets near the apex are much shorter in proportion to their width, and of a more falcate form.nbsp;The central nerve, instead of springing from thenbsp;centre, rises from the posterior portion of the basenbsp;of each leaflet, and the nervures are fewer innbsp;number, and but simply furcate.

�The only plants with which this can be compared are Pecopteris Whitbiensis, hastata, ligata and denticulata; from the three former it differs innbsp;the denticulated apex, and from the latter in itsnbsp;much smaller size, which varies but little, (and Inbsp;have fifty specimens of it at least,) in the greaternbsp;strength of the nerves, and in the different arrangement of the basal ones.�

Jiih.- }gt;y nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;J83igt;

170 A

TYMPANOPHORA SIMPLEX.

From the lower shale of the Oolitic rocks at Cloughton Wyke near Scarborough; Mr. Williamson, Jun., to whom we are indebted for ournbsp;drawing, speaks of the specimens thus :

� It has a narrow straight stem of equal thickness, with a faint linear impression along its surface. Small slightly curved stalks shoot irregularly but alternately from either side; theirnbsp;surfaces present an indistinct nerve, which branchesnbsp;on arriving at the globular appendage, with whichnbsp;each pedicel is terminated. These are probablynbsp;seed-vessels, as they are very prominent, andnbsp;apparently have been globular. Their convexitynbsp;does not commence immediately at their junctionnbsp;with the footstalk, but a little beyond it, whichnbsp;will be best understood by the magnified figure.nbsp;Near the base of the seed-vessels, and arising fromnbsp;the stalk, springs a bract, which sometimesnbsp;reaches beyond the seed-vessel.�

170 B

TYMPANOPHORA RACEMOSA.

From the same locality, and from the same intelligent correspondent. It differs from the lastnbsp;in being much smaller, in having no bract, (?)nbsp;and in the seed-vessels being in pairs or shortnbsp;racemes.

What these remains represent we have little or no means of judging; but they are too remarkablenbsp;not to be figured. Can they be related in anynbsp;way to Sphered a paradoxa, (fol. 159) from thenbsp;same rock? or are they more akin to Fucoidesnbsp;turbinatus and discophorus of Brongniart fromnbsp;Monte Bolca ?

It is not impossible that they may be the remains of some Fucoid, belonging to the genus Caulerpa,nbsp;or they may represent the ancient analogues ofnbsp;the Florideous Fuci, such as Rhodomela andnbsp;Bonnemaisonia. (See Greville's Algae Britannicae,nbsp;t. xiii.) But these are mere guesses and hardlynbsp;worth notice.

171

LONCHOPTERIS MANTELLI

Lonchopteris Mantelli. Ad. Brongniart, Prodr. p. 60. Pecopteris reticulata. Alantell in Geol. Trans. 2nd Ser. v. 1.nbsp;p. 421, i. 16. �. 5. t. \ l.f. 3.

Communicated by Mr. Samuel Woodward of Norwich, from the Hastings� sand, near Wansfordnbsp;in Northamptonshire.

This leaf is nearly entire, and its impression is well defined, but like most vegetable remains innbsp;Sandstone, the veins and more delicate characteristic marks are all lost. It was 6 ^ inches long,nbsp;and four-tenths of an inch across in the widestnbsp;part, simply pinnated, with segments of an oblongnbsp;form, rounded at the point, a little curved forwards,nbsp;all touching each other, and gradually diminishingnbsp;towards either extremity ; the stalk was an inch

60

in length. It had an exceedingly strong midrib, as is proved by a deep furrow left in the sandstone.nbsp;This is all the specimen shews.

That it ever was a Fern there is no evidence in this specimen ; but from others it appears to havenbsp;had all its secondary veins reticulated, a characternbsp;which is now met with among ferns in the generanbsp;Lonchitis, Woodwardia, amp;c. What this specimennbsp;is most valuable for, is, the accurate view it gives ofnbsp;the original form of the whole leaf, of which fragments only had been previously represented.

]72

ZAMIA PECTINATA.

Polypodiolites pectiniformis. Stern!/. Fl. der %'orw. p. 44, t. 33. f. l.

Zamia pe�tinata. Ad. Brongn. Prodr. p. 94.

Communicated from the Stonesfield slate* by Professor Buckland.

The specimen was very perfect, measuring nine inches in length, and shewing the outline of thenbsp;segments of the leaf distinctly even up to theirnbsp;points, which were evidently rather suddenlynbsp;sharpened off. It appears very distinct from any ofnbsp;the fossil remains that have been elsewhere discovered.

? Geologists are probably aware that Mr. Lonsdale has ascertained the Stonesfield slate to be under the Bath or great Oolite, and at the top of the inferior Oolite.

62

Sternberg points out its resemblance to Po/y-podiurnpectinatum, and there is certainly no evidence to shew it was not a Polypodium. Neverthelessnbsp;in the total absence of all proof either one way ornbsp;another, we adopt Adolphe Brongniart�s uame.

173

BECHER A GRAN DIS.

Bec-liera grandis. Vol. \. t. 19. �. I.

The specimen here represented gives a good idea of the appearance of this plant in its mostnbsp;perfect state. It is from a nodule of ironstone fromnbsp;Colebrooke Dale, for which we are obliged to Mr.nbsp;Prestwich.

With regard to its possible affinities we have nothing to add to what has already been said, undernbsp;folio 19 of the first volume, where its main stem hasnbsp;been represented.

174

NEUROPTERIS ATTENUATA.

A coal measure fern, allied to Nmropteris Loshii, from 'which and all other species it differs in itsnbsp;leaflets becoming gradually smaller, till the terminal one is less than any of the others. This is annbsp;unusual circumstance in the genus Neuropterisnbsp;and distinctly marks the species.

VOL. III.

JPub-l^Jf^sr^Tiidfrwi^y.Zuniion.Oct. 1835.

175

ZAMIA TAXINA.

From the Stonesfield slate. Communicated by Dr. Buekland.

It occurs in specimens no larger than those now figured, and is so nearly allied to Zamia pectinatanbsp;as to look like a small state of it. We are by nonbsp;means assured that it really is not so, but its leafletsnbsp;seem to be a little less approximated, and more gradually tapered to a point; and these circumstances,nbsp;together with its size, induce us to look upon it asnbsp;a distinct species.

lyl.oihL'ft /836.

176 A

SPHENOPTERIS CYSTEOIDES.

From the Stonesfield slate; communicated by Dr. Buckland.

A single ferruginous impression preserved in Sandstone is all that we know of this plant, whichnbsp;seems to have been bipinnated with ovate lanceolatenbsp;acuminate divisions and pinnatifid segments. . It isnbsp;very like a bit of the recent Cystopteris fragilis, butnbsp;it is quite impossible to form any opinion as tonbsp;whether or not it was distinct from that species.

176 B

T/ENIOPTERIS VITTATA.

Tasuioptei'is vittata. Supi�a, voL\- t. 62.

From the Stonesfield slate ; communicated hy Dr. Buckland.

This is apparently the very specimen figured by Sternberg, and upon which the species is founded.nbsp;Is it really the same as the plant from the shale ofnbsp;the Gristhorpe bed, and already figured vol. 1. tab.nbsp;62. of this work? We suspect not; the leaf isnbsp;broader, the leaves more closely veined, and thenbsp;aspect of the impression that of a plant with anbsp;more leathery texture. We have, however, nonbsp;positive means of judging, and it is very possiblenbsp;that the Gristhorpe specimens are young, whilenbsp;that now figured is old and matured. A furthernbsp;examination of the Stonesfield slate will alonenbsp;decide the point.

r'fb , nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;� .Ofl.

, nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;^4

gt;not8 �ji'' 'i-

^1.

177

SPHENOP�ERIS HIBBERTL

From a specimen, for which we are obliged to Dr. Hibbert, who procured it from an interestingnbsp;deposit of fresh-water Limestone occurring at Kirk-ton near Bathgate, in the county ofLinlithgo.

This is described in a memoir upon certain freshwater Limestones, published in the Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, vol. xiii. fromnbsp;which we extract the following.

� A mile or two to the east of Bathgate, at Kirkton, we find that a very considerable outbreaknbsp;of greenstone has occurred. Close to it on the westnbsp;appears the limestone of Kirkton. By this contiguity, we are assured, that the limestone must havenbsp;been elaborated within the immediate sphere andnbsp;influence of an extensive volcanic eruption. Thenbsp;consequence has been, that one of the most uniquenbsp;formations of which Great Britain can boast, has

VOL. in.

74

been formed, indicative of thermal waters, belonging to the carboniferous epoch.

� A decidedly fresh-water formation is thus exposed, which is characterised by the absence of all marine shells, corallines, amp;c., and the presencenbsp;of the well known vegetable remains of the Coalnbsp;formation.

� But the remarkable circumstance in this limestone is its mineralogical character, indicative of the very powerful chemical action under which itnbsp;was elaborated. This chemical action appears tonbsp;have been so energetic, as to have caused suchnbsp;miscellaneous earthy matters as are found to enternbsp;into the composition of an impure limestone, likenbsp;that of Kirkton, to separate into laminae, and tonbsp;assume a sort of striped disposition (ruban� as it isnbsp;also named) resembling what I have occasionallynbsp;noticed in Auvergne, where tertiary strata havenbsp;come into contact with volcanic rocks. The strata,nbsp;for instance, of Kirkton quarry, are composed ofnbsp;distinct and alternating thin laminae, some ofnbsp;them being of remarkable tenuity, variously consisting either of pure calcareous matter, of translucent silex, resembling common flint, or of anbsp;mixed, argillaceous substance, which approaches tonbsp;the character of porcellanite, or of ferruginous, ornbsp;even of bituminous layers, originating probablynbsp;from vegetable matter.

� Upon one of these very thin aluminous folia, which I have compared to porcellanite, I observed

75

the impression of a Fern, apparently of a Pecop-teris, which was delineated upon it like a painting upon porcelain �

In many respects the specimen resembles Sphe-nopteris polyphylla of the Clee Hills (fol. 147), but it appears to differ in the following particulars. Itsnbsp;leaflets are less regularly three-lobed; when theynbsp;are so lobed the central segment is scarcely different in size from those at the sides, and thenbsp;latter taper more gradually into the stalk. Thesenbsp;circumstances produce a considerable difference innbsp;the general appearance of the two plants, althoughnbsp;they may not seem upon paper to be of muchnbsp;weight.

G 2

■. ■•v nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;'

178

SPHEN�PTERIS LATIFOLIA.

Sphenopteris latifolia. Supra, vol. 2. p. 156.

Fi�om the Bensham coal seam in Jarrow Colliery.

It is most difficult to form a correct opinion of what are distinct species and what are merely different parts of the leaf of the Ferns found in a fossil state, so much do the different portions of thenbsp;leaves of recent species vary between their basenbsp;and their apex; a property which we shall presently see was at least as strongly characteristic ofnbsp;the species of the ancient Flora.

At fol. 156 is represented a plant called Sphe nopteris latifolia, which appears to differ from that

78

before us in the ultimate leaflets being scarcely ever three-lobed, but usually consisting of fromnbsp;five to seven divisions; here they are almost constantly three-lobed, the instances of five lobes beingnbsp;extremely rare. We are however persuaded thatnbsp;in reality the present plant with its 3-lobed leafletsnbsp;is a portion of the upper end of a 5 or 7-lobed state,nbsp;and it is far from improbable that Sphenopterisnbsp;dilatata (vol. i. tab. 47) is again the extreme pointnbsp;of the leaf of such a species with leaflets altogethernbsp;undivided or merely two-lobed.

At all events no safe geological inferences can be drawn from the presence of such remains ; thatnbsp;is to say, supposing the plant figured at tab. 156nbsp;and the present, and that of tab. 47 were all foundnbsp;in separate stations, lio one ought to consider suchnbsp;a fact of the slightest weight in shewing the threenbsp;stations to be different formations.

-Pui: hy M^s^Bidgway. Zon/don. Zan^ /83d.

nbsp;

’ïJlslWé;-

I ■'\.-

179

PECOPTERIS LOBIFOLIA.

Neuropteris lobif�lia. Phillips Geol. Yorhs. t. 8. �, 13. Neuropte�is undulata. Supra, vol. 2. t. 83.

Three specimens only of this plant have occurred in the lower sandstone and shale of the Oolitic formation at Haiburn Wyke near Scarborough.

Mr. Williamson, Jun. from whom we have received the drawing has made us the following communication upon the subject.

� This bears a strong resemblance to Neuropteris undulata, figured by you some time ago ; belongingnbsp;to which species I have also discovered a new character I had not observed in the specimen drawn,nbsp;owing to its imperfect state. It consists in a large

80

l�bed leaflet at the under part of the base of each pinnule, and is consequently the same species asnbsp;that of which Pi-ofessor Phillips has given a drawing under the name of Neuropteris lobifoUa.

�The present species difiers from that plant in having these lobed leaflets as well as the othersnbsp;much smaller, the lobes, although variable, morenbsp;of an hexagonal form, and the nervures much fewernbsp;in number.

� Fig. 2 is a magnified view of the base of a pinnule of the present plant, and fig. 3 represents three of the leaflets from the extremity of a pinnule, thenbsp;apex of each being broken off. Fig. 4 shows a similar portion of the original Neuropteris undulata.�

Upon considering these additional points of information, and the drawing now published, it is in the first place apparent that the species is a Pecop-tex�is and not a Neuropteris. For there is a manifest midrib, and the lateral veins are planted uponnbsp;it abruptly; and secondly, that it is closely relatednbsp;to the P. acutifolia and obtusifolia represented atnbsp;tab. 157 and 158 of the present work.

With regard to the differences pointed out by Mr. Williamson, we conceive they are not greaternbsp;than might be expected upon different parts of thenbsp;same leaf; and that while tab. 83 and 179, fig. 4,nbsp;represent portions of the lower part of a leaf, t. 179,nbsp;fig, 1. 2. 3. belong to the upper part of it.

X-

180

ASTEROPHYLLITES TUBERCULATA.

Supra, vol. 1. t. 14.

From the i�oof of the Bensham coal seam in Jarrow Colliery.

We figure this fragment with a view to completing the representation given in the place above referred to, and to shewing that it is in all probability the remains of a mass of inflorescence, ofnbsp;which we have here a portion of the naked stalk.nbsp;But we are still uncertain as to what it may havenbsp;been or belonged to. There is some room fornbsp;suspecting that it was a part of the fructification ofnbsp;Calamites, see tab. 15-16; but after a lapse of nearlynbsp;five years we are as much in the dark upon thisnbsp;subject as ever.

82

It is wonderful tliat no one should ever yet have been able to find Calamites in actual connectionnbsp;with such remains as this; and that being the factnbsp;the probability of the two belonging to each othernbsp;is by no means increased.

181

SPHENOPTERIS FURCATA.

Sphenopteris furcata. t. 49. �. 4. 5.

From the roof of the Bensham coal seam in Jarrow Colliery.

Another of the large family of narrow-leaved Sphenopterides, to which S. affinis, artemisisefolia,nbsp;crithmifolia, amp;c. belong. It seems wholly impracticable to define the species, if species they be, withnbsp;any precision; and it is probable that many ofnbsp;them will be one day considered mere forms of eachnbsp;other.

Newcastle, Charleroi, and Saarbruck are given by Mons. Adolphe Brongniart as localities for thisnbsp;species, which diflFers from S. crithmifolia, chieflynbsp;in its more compact mode of growth, and in thenbsp;general outline formed by the points of the lobes ofnbsp;the pinnules being more broadly oblong.

182

PIN US CANARIENSIS.

We trust we shall stand excused for publishing this remarkable cone in the Fossil Flora, althoughnbsp;it does not actually belong to the deposits of thisnbsp;country. We are the more induced to venturenbsp;upon this departure from our original plan in consequence of the numerous other cones which havenbsp;been already figured in this Work.

It was found in Spain in the year 1832, by Colonel Silvertop, in a deposit of indurated whitishnbsp;marie, containing powerful beds of sulphur, nearnbsp;the town of Hellin, in the province of Murcia.nbsp;Impressions of fish are found in the same locality,nbsp;which Professor Buckland considers a tertiarynbsp;formation.

What this cone may have been in an age so nearly approaching to the present order of thingsnbsp;becomes a highly interesting point.

The specimen from which our drawing was taken

86

is of a pale dirty white, (not black as the heavy shadows in the plate would seem to indicate), sixnbsp;inches long by three wide in the broadest part; thenbsp;lower part, however, having been broken away, itnbsp;must have been originally something longer. It isnbsp;so much compressed as not to be more than twonbsp;inches thick in the flattened direction. The scalesnbsp;of which it was composed were about two inchesnbsp;and a half long, and terminated in a broad, elevated,nbsp;woody point, which, although very much broken,nbsp;appears to have curved backward ; the sides of thenbsp;lozenges formed by the junction of the ends of thenbsp;scales, were almost thirteen-twentieths of an inchnbsp;long. A longitudinal section of the cone does notnbsp;enable us to judge of what nature the' seeds were.

Certainly there is now no European Pine with which this can be identified. The only two thatnbsp;approach it in size are those of Pinus Pinea andnbsp;P. Pinaster. The former has a much roundernbsp;figure, and the ends of the scales are not recurved.nbsp;No one ever saw P. Pinaster with cones more thannbsp;half the size of this, and their figure is conical andnbsp;a little curved, not oblong.

If we consider extra-European species, we shall find it approach in several respects, especially innbsp;size and general form, the Pinus longifolia of India,nbsp;which has the points of the scales of its conenbsp;recurved ; but the scales of that species do not formnbsp;regular lozenge-shaped spaces by their junction ;nbsp;on the contrary the two upper sides of the lozengesnbsp;are very much shorter than the two lower.

87

But it is with a species which now forms a tree of considerable size on the mountains of Teneriffe andnbsp;the Island of Grand Canary, that we would especiallynbsp;compare the fossil. That plant, the P. Canariensisnbsp;of Mr. Lambert�s Monograph of the genus Finns,nbsp;vol. 1. t. 28, (8vo. edition), has cones which seemnbsp;in reality to be identical with this, in size, generalnbsp;figure, and the form of the ends of the scales.nbsp;Whether or not the nature of the seeds was also thenbsp;same we have no means of ascertaining ; but as farnbsp;as the evidence goes we are unable to discover anynbsp;Botanical distinction.

This is an interesting circumstance, as affording an instance of the remains of an �xisting species ofnbsp;plant in a tertiary deposit.

-I

183

NEUROPTERIS HETEROPHYLLA.

N. heterophylla. Ad. Brongn. hist. desV�g. foss. 71.

N. acutifolia. Ad. Brongn. hist. des. V�g. foss. t. 64. �. 6. 7. Filicites heterophylla. Ad. Brongn. class, vcg. foss. t. 2./. 6,nbsp;Pecopteris De Thiersii. ld. Prodr. p. 56.

For this remarkable specimen we are indebted to Mr. W. D. Saull, who purchased it out of thenbsp;Museum of the late Mr. Sowerby. It lies in anbsp;large nodule of Ironstone, and is in a singularlynbsp;perfect state. That it belongs to some of the oldnbsp;Coal-measure formations admits of no doubt.

It was probably the end of a leaf of some Fern of large dimensions, and seems, from its convexity, tonbsp;have been originally of a tough and thick consistence. What is most remarkable in it is that thenbsp;leaflets of the very same portion of a leaf should benbsp;so extremely diflPerent on opposite sides of the same

VOL. in. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;H

90

rachis. On the right, the pinnae are about two inches long, cordate, a little wavy, and altogethernbsp;undivided; while on the left they are three inchesnbsp;long, deeply pinnatifid into about seven pairs ofnbsp;ovate lobes, and a terminal one resembling thenbsp;entire pinnae on the opposite side, except in beingnbsp;much smaller.

Hence it has been well named N. heterophylla, by Mons. Adolphe Brongniart, who figures it from thenbsp;coalfields of Charleroi and Saarbruck. It appearsnbsp;to us that the N. acutifolia of the same Botanist,nbsp;from Wilksbarre in Pennsylvania and from Bath,nbsp;also consists of the entire pinnules of this samenbsp;plant; and that it is even doubtful whethernbsp;N. Loshii, angustifolia, and Scheuchzeri are notnbsp;all fragments of this same species.

Pul', ty Mf/s^Ridpway.Zmdm. Jaji' /SS ff.

184

PECOPTERIS ABBREVIATA.

P. abbreviate. Ad, Brongn. Prodr.p, 58. V�g, Foss. 1.337. t. 115./^. 1�4.

From the coal measures of Welbatchnear Shrewsbury, communicated by Mr. Corbett. It is described by M. Adolphe Brongniart, from the Bath coal field and from the mines of Anzin near Valenciennes.

Among all the species of Pecopteris this is known by the pinnae being merely crenelled,nbsp;with from three to five veins occupying thenbsp;middle of each crenature. It appears from M.nbsp;Adolphe Brongniart�s figure that the number ofnbsp;the veins is sometimes increased, but we have notnbsp;remarked that circumstance in the specimen beforenbsp;us.

VOL. III. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;I

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PinmqjG oj �6cn ci,(.nrTffii.G� Tf ;ilgt;b63'i? p.onr 'hj'

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CiGlIHG�'

cuyj yrqq sHiq ; ' nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;uipiG�nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;�jgs;. pyjcu-*

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co;.:;iOf;ii: .;xiG\ P^ nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;jf ig og-

py.om rp'G r.oiq .i.nr,;ianj.Ggop nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;gpu .v�-

Yigt;rlt;R|'Py ;

185

FUCOIDES ARCUATUS.

From the collection of Professor Phillips, who states that it is the only one he has seen from thenbsp;extinct flora of Gristhorpe.

It does not appear referable to any of the species figured in Brongniart�s V�g�taux fossiles, neithernbsp;does it approach any modern species, so far as it isnbsp;possible to judge from the fragment before us. Wenbsp;do not however see any reason to doubt its being anbsp;Fucoid, and that is all that can be said about it.

We presume the white spaces which divide each lobe of the plant into two parallel portions, represent the place where a thickened midrib oncenbsp;existed.

O!. ;-n

/; bix:.,. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;'nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;vr;:nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;, -:':r;-:nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;^Co quot;C

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*t c;?�? XTO? nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;lt;

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186

EQUISETUM LATERALE.

Equisetum laterale, Phillips�s Geol. of Yorks, t. 10. �. 13.

Found not uncommonly at Haiburn Wyke in the lower sandstone and shale of the Oolite ; alsonbsp;at White Nab, on the coast of Yorkshire, south ofnbsp;Scarborough, whence the specimen now representednbsp;was communicated by Professor Phillips.

It always occurs in small pieces, rarely exceeding in size that of our drawing; a fragment with 3 or 4 articulations is considered unusually perfect.nbsp;The stem itself is destitute of furrows ; but at thenbsp;articulations it seems as if a striated sheath, or elsenbsp;a whorl of short fine leaves could be traced. Andnbsp;what is most remarkable, at irregular distancesnbsp;between the articulations are found little roundnbsp;disks with lines radiating from a common centre,

96

something in the way of the phragma of a Calamite. These disks which look like the scars left behind bynbsp;branches that had fallen off, are not stationed atnbsp;the axils or the articulations, but appear at uncertain points on the internodes, and according tonbsp;Mr. Williamson, Jun, are found less frequently onnbsp;the stem than loose in the shale, without any apparent connection with the plant. This is a singularnbsp;fact, and would lead one to think that the disksnbsp;hardly belong to the stems with which they arenbsp;found associated.

We retain Mr. Phillips�s name, in consequence of the great obscurity that attends the species ;nbsp;but we may remark that we are by no means satisfied that it is the remains of an Equisetum.

i�/h: by nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;RidffWoy.london^ApK /d3�.

187

PECOPTERIS HAIB�RNENSIS.

Communicated by Professor Phillips from Hai-burn Wyke on the east coast of Yorkshire, where a small colliery is worked in the lowest beds of thenbsp;Oolitic series.

It appears essentially distinct from all the species hitherto figured of this extensive and difficultnbsp;genus, but it approaches the P. pteroides of thenbsp;coal measures. It is apparently distinguishednbsp;however not only by its greater size, but also bynbsp;its more membranous texture, and by the lowestnbsp;pinnule of each pinna not being placed verynbsp;obliquely in the angle formed by the separation ofnbsp;the partial from the common rachis.

In the magnified representation in the accompanying plate, the artist has drawn the separate pinnule as if it adhered to its rachis by the centre only; but we believe this appearance to be causednbsp;by a decay of a portion of the base of the pinnule.

98

In general the pinnules adhere by their whole base, so that the pinnae are pinnatifid rather thannbsp;pinnate. This is correctly shown in the principalnbsp;figure.

^4.

188

BRACHYPHYLLUM MAMMILLARE.

Brachyphyllum mamillare. A. Brongn. Prodr. p. 109.

Communicated by Professor Phillips, from the Oolitic coal field of Haiburn Wyke, in Yorkshire.

M. Adolphe Brongniart considers this as a doubtful Coniferous plant; but it must be confessednbsp;that it has as strong a claim to be received as annbsp;unquestionable species of the Pine tribe, as anynbsp;other fossil of which the leaves alone are known.

Its general appearance, and the arrangement of its leaves, which are all that we have to guide usnbsp;in forming an opinion of its analogies, are quitenbsp;those of the Coniferous plants allied to Araucarianbsp;excelsa, Callitris and Dacrydium.

Hn I .X gt;11/ 'AAM iXXJTi �'i /H'jASff

� Ct'i nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;.V!gt;onS \i'lt;�nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;_

�ii] muit teqilli�'t 'lOiit'. i'l '�_! �i:t;;:gt;imiUU�oD

.'j'�Aai'ioY fli nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;fnudi/sH % bi-j� Moo stJiloO

� 8ij auiJ fc-ioIi!;-;C�lt;K) 4ifiixn�ny:3 odqiohA .M bocsulua� sd ieuffi li Jnd jaa^Kr euoidthioO lulJdnol)nbsp;Hamp; . i)t3v3lt;i 03nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;g�o-iAi �� a^d ii J�i.�i

7U� au todl'ij osib udJ aabsqa sldnuoha^upiiu .av/offd 9 XU oaofe f;Ovml odt xlsirl// ioii�soi xadtonbsp;'i� JDStii Jgiiu'ita yxl4 bas ^ounu-juaqqu Ib19iso� ajfnbsp;f/; ui:iti:g oi ./ud aw 3aih Uu atu doidv,- puvusl gJinbsp;�,�iiuu a'iiJ 5a9i^oii.UB �aii io aoiniqo au �^aita-i�t ainbsp;C'4 baiflij atuuiq auaigliuoD aij} to aaoritnbsp;.tiiij[5'n-gt;i.A['f)OB n'lt;nffu3 .safayxo

Tub: by Me/br^Hidffway.Xondffn.Jpn 1836.

189

Fig. 1. 2. 4.

CARPOLITHES CONICA.

From the Coralline Oolite of Malton, whence Mr. Williamson, Jun. has sent specimens to Professor Buckland, and drawings to ourselves. Wenbsp;have also seen it from Dr. Murray of Scarborough.

It is the remains of some fruit. The specimens are conical and three-sided, with the base(?) convexnbsp;and bordered with a single row of tubercles, andnbsp;divided by three elevated ridges, while the sidesnbsp;are perfectly smooth. Sometimes the three-sidednbsp;character is absent, and the specimens are merelynbsp;flattened, with an elevated edge on each side, andnbsp;an elevated line passing through the truncated end.nbsp;The greater part seem to have lost their externalnbsp;rind, but in one specimen, communicated by Pro-

104

� They are generally of a rounded or rather flattened form. The base, or part of attachment, is surrounded by a ring of prominent but often irregular tubercles. The space within the circle isnbsp;generally divided in three by elevated ridges, whichnbsp;I can compare to nothing so aptly as to the lines ofnbsp;carbonate of Lime in a nodule of Septarium. Butnbsp;these lines rarely pass beyond the circle, and innbsp;No. 3. do not exist; a slightly elevated tuberclenbsp;forms the centre. The other parts of the fossil arenbsp;covered with very irregularly placed tubercles, thenbsp;spaces between which are quite smooth. In nonenbsp;of the specimens I have seen, which have not beennbsp;few, was any appearance of a division into lobes.nbsp;The specimens are of a deep brown colour.�

,* 1-

quot;'■ '--f^ ^

V'WVi::..,/ ■

4'A ■

■■ ^■■

190�191

HIPP�RITES LONGIFOLIA.

At t. 114 of the second volume of this work is figured the original species of this genus, from thenbsp;Newcastle coal-field.

By the kindness of Mr. Arthur Montague, of Park End near Lydney, in the Forest of Dean, wenbsp;are furnished with the accompanying representations of what seems another species, specimens ofnbsp;which exist in the collection of himself and Mr.nbsp;Henry James. They occurred in the shale of thenbsp;Forest of Dean coal basin.

This appears to differ from H. gigantea in the leaves being longer than the spaces between them,nbsp;and the stem being quite smooth.

Fig. 190 represents some fragments of the stem and leaves of the natural size ; fig. 191 is a diminished figure of a considerable portion.

15-

k -4'

192

FAVULARIA NODOSA.

Favularia nodosa. Bowman Mss.

For the drawing and following account of these remarkable remains, we are indebted to J. E. Bowman, Esq. of Gresford near Wrexham.

� From the roof of the lowest bed of Coal at Flint Marsh Colliery, on the estuary of the Dee,nbsp;among abundance of Sigillarise and Calamites ofnbsp;large dimensions.

� This beautiful fossil is in fine soft shale, and retains on one side the carbonized exterior surfacenbsp;of its vegetable form. The undulations and pen-cillings of the areolae, to which the basis of thenbsp;leaves have been attached, are as clear and sharp

VOL. III. K

108

as the impression from a seal, and even require the lens to shew their delicate inequalities. Thesenbsp;areolae cover the whole surface, are wider than theirnbsp;length, and not only touch the intermediate furrow,nbsp;but give it a waved character, by encroaching uponnbsp;the contiguous row beyond it, right and left. Theynbsp;are separated from those above and below in thenbsp;same row, by slightly and uniformly diagonal linesnbsp;or septa, which throw them into rhombs. In thisnbsp;specimen the surface is flat, but in others, detachednbsp;portions of the rows have a considerable elevation,nbsp;with the intermediate furrow deep in proportion.nbsp;Where this is the case, the shale is seen to be morenbsp;strongly impregnated with iron, which circumstancenbsp;may have caused it to set, or harden quicker fromnbsp;its soft state, and so, more effectually to resist thenbsp;superincumbent pressure. In the elevated parts,nbsp;the transverse divisions of the rows, are nearly atnbsp;right angles with the axis of the stem, which shewsnbsp;that their diagonal or slanting direction in the flat-t�r parts, is the result of pressure, and not of a spiralnbsp;arrangement of the leaves, as in Lepidodendra andnbsp;modern Coniferse. This will be evident by observing that the diagonal septa ascend from right tonbsp;left on one side of the fossil, and from left to rightnbsp;on the opposite one ; while all spirals ascend in thenbsp;same direction, on which side soever they are viewed,nbsp;as the stem of the Hop or Kidney-bean on its pole,nbsp;or a thread wound round the finger from the basenbsp;to the tip ; and these fossils are only flattened cylinders.

109

�In its decorticated portions, the present somewhat resembles Favularia tessellata, already figured at plates 73 and 74 of this work ; but the furrows,nbsp;from the cause above mentioned, are somewhatnbsp;wavy or zigzag, the areolae rhomboidal and shorternbsp;in pi�oportion to their width, and the central scar,nbsp;or vascular connection between the leaves and thenbsp;interior of the stem, of an elevated circular or horseshoe form, around and within which the generalnbsp;surface is depressed. In F. tessellata this portion isnbsp;shaped like the club upon playing cards, with thenbsp;central lobe elongated, and reaching nearly to thenbsp;apex. It was not clearly stated in describing thatnbsp;fossil, that the engravings shew its decorticated appearance, and that the exterior carbonized surfacenbsp;is in no part well preserved.

�The irregularly warted zone which crosses the central portion of the fossil, interrupting the longitudinal rows, gives the idea of a joint, or divisionnbsp;of the stem. As this mark occurs in a preciselynbsp;similar situation, on both sides of eight or nine othernbsp;specimens, and as no instance of a jointed structurenbsp;has yet, (as far as I am aware) been found in anynbsp;Favularia or Sigillaria, it may be worth while tonbsp;examine how far it goes to support that character.nbsp;I once thought it might be the effect of a twist ornbsp;bruise the vegetable had received while in a softnbsp;state ; but a more attentive examination, shewednbsp;that some such accident had actually happened innbsp;another portion of the decorticated surface, and had

K 2

110

left the impression of an irregular transverse rent, with a sharp jagged edge, but without affecting thenbsp;opposite side. I am therefore satisfied from this,nbsp;and from the smooth unbroken undulations of thenbsp;zone, that it is a part of the vegetable itself. Itsnbsp;inequalities have, however, been more strongly impressed on its interior than on its exterior surface.nbsp;Indeed the areolm, though much transposed, andnbsp;less densely imbricated in these parts, are nevernbsp;absent, and where they retain their carbonized surface, there is no exterior trace of joint or sheath,nbsp;as in Calamites or Grasses. Again, in all the specimens, the longitudinal rows of areolae, after havingnbsp;been more or less thrown out of their perpendicularnbsp;direction, in the neighbourhood of the zones, soonnbsp;regain their natural position. In two or threenbsp;instances, however, an additional row is inserted,nbsp;the space for which has been made by the bendnbsp;or divergence of several of the collateral rows onnbsp;each side, from their parallelism ; but neither thenbsp;one nor the other is narrower than the rest, innbsp;consequence of this intrusion. Lastly, in all thenbsp;specimens before me, the zones or joints occurnbsp;on both surfaces, and intersect the axis of thenbsp;stem, at precisely the same angle as the transverse divisions of the areolae. Though I have shewnnbsp;that this diagonal direction is the result of pressure, the coincidence of the joints is a fact of greatnbsp;importance as pointing to a common cause in thenbsp;structure of the plant, and proving their original

Ill

position to have been at right angles with the axis of the stem. On the whole it appears highly probable that these zones indicate the jointed structurenbsp;of such plants as Favularia (and perhaps we maynbsp;add, from general analogy, of Sigillaria also) butnbsp;that the joints were not accompanied by any othernbsp;external appearance than a less densely imbricatednbsp;and perhaps a longer foliage, and an interruptionnbsp;of the parallelism of the rows. As there is no tracenbsp;of ramification in any of the specimens, it occurrednbsp;to me whether these joints might be the rudimentsnbsp;of a whorl of branches, as in recent Coniferse; butnbsp;the bases are not broad enough to render this probable. In one instance only, two joints occur innbsp;the same specimen, viz., one at each end, separatednbsp;by an interval of 4^ inches, which may help tonbsp;convey an idea of the real character and habit ofnbsp;these wonderful vegetables. If we suppose for anbsp;moment that the joints were ramuli, or whorls ofnbsp;longer foliage, the plant would not be very dissimilar to a gigantic Equisetum or Hippuris, whosenbsp;stem was concealed by leaves or scales.

� The specimens are all completely covered on both sides with areola?, arranged in perpendicularnbsp;row's, which seem to lock into each other, and tonbsp;form a rich mosaic work. It is singular that onenbsp;surface should retain its cai�bonized exterior, andnbsp;the other be for the most part decorticated. Yetnbsp;they all are so. They are also generally brokennbsp;off at the joints, but there is no internal trace of a

112

phragma, or of a central wooded axis. As the specimen figured (which is 10 inches long by nearly 6 wide) is not half an inch thick, and not morenbsp;than a quarter of an inch about the edges or sides,nbsp;the absence of an axis goes far to prove that suchnbsp;plants were destitute of that arrangement. And ifnbsp;they had a jointed structure, the nodi must havenbsp;been soft and perishable, as the thickness of thenbsp;fossil is not greater where they occur.

� I am not aware that either the leaves or fruit of these primaeval vegetables have ever been found, ornbsp;at least identified. From the evidence we have ofnbsp;the abundance of the former, we are almost drivennbsp;to the conclusion that they must have been supposednbsp;to belong to some other fossil, or that they havenbsp;been of a soft and succulent nature, and havenbsp;yielded to the wasting causes which the toughernbsp;material of the stem has resisted. Is it an improbable conj(�.cture, judging from the very broadnbsp;thick base by which they were attached to the stem,nbsp;that in mature plants, they each formed an involucre, enveloping one or more seeds, like the leavesnbsp;of Isoetes, or the imbricated scales of the cones ofnbsp;the Pinus family ? �

a. Shews the exterior surface, which is of coal, as beautifully sharp and perfect as the finest impression of a seal. The inequalitiesnbsp;of the surface are but slight; but some of the more delicatenbsp;lights and shades are so fine, I have not attempted to expressnbsp;them.

113

b. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;A portiou of another specimen of the same fossil, shewing thenbsp;interior surface or decorticated state, after the removal of thenbsp;coaly shell�In this specimen the leaves are not quite so closelynbsp;set.

c. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Portion of the same specimen as a, remarkable for the differentnbsp;arrangement of the leaves in the central part, where they seem tonbsp;be disposed spirally or alternately, and in the specimen itselfnbsp;give the idea of a joint; this sketch shows a part of the exteriornbsp;leaf-bases, and some of the decorticated portion.

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193

A. 1, 2, 3, 4.

CARPOLITHES

Fossil seeds from the calcareous Slate of Stones-field, one of the subdivisions of the lower portion of the Oolitic series, so remarkable for the singular variety of its organic remains. The specimens are from the collection of Professor Phillips,nbsp;who observes�� In general they may be affirmednbsp;to have much analogy with the Monocotyledonousnbsp;fruit from the Oolite of Malton (Carpolithes coni-ca, t. 189). The nourishing vessels have leftnbsp;prominent marks; on one flat plate is a very singular arrangement.�

We find nothing sufficiently remarkable in the specimens to enable us to give even a guess atnbsp;their affinity; and it is even probable that threenbsp;different species are here combined, namely A. 1 amp;nbsp;3; A. 2; and A. 4.

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193

B. ], 2, 3, 4.

TRIGONOCARPUM N�GGERATHI.

This has already been published at t. 142. of the 2nd volume of this work. The specimens before us occurred in the Newcastle coal field, where,nbsp;however, the fossil is rare ; it is always in groupsnbsp;when it is met with. The specimens are lessnbsp;water worn than those before published, and willnbsp;serve to give a more distinct idea of the species.nbsp;They have been communicated to us from Holy-well Colliery, by John Buddie, Esq., and fromnbsp;Wilznington Colliery, by Geo. Johnson, Esq.

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194

ZAMIA LANCEOLATA.

From the Oolite at Haiburn Wyke, near Scarborough, whence a drawing and description have been sent us by Mr. Williamson, Jun.

�The rachis was straight, and apparently smooth. The pinnm were long and lanceolate, contractingnbsp;at their base into the appearance of a short stalk;nbsp;sometimes they were opposite, sometimes alternate;nbsp;their surface is covered with a series of minutenbsp;longitudinal striae, apparently simple, and notnbsp;running out at the side of the leaf as in Otopteris ;nbsp;but the seam in which the Haiburn plants arenbsp;found, being of a more micaceous nature than thatnbsp;at Gristhorpe, veins and delicate markings arenbsp;rarely preserved.�

This leaf has no doubt been produced by some one of the Cycadeoideous stems of the Ooliticnbsp;Rocks, but there seems no present probability ofnbsp;our ascertaining by which.

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195

VOLTZIA PHILLIPSII.

Com�nunicated by Professor Phillips, who considers it a Voltzia, and, although a very imperfect specimen, worth figuring, because of the extremenbsp;rarity of vegetable remains in the Magnesian limestone.

In the county of Durham, where this formation is extensively developed, the remains of vegetables occasionally occur in the lower slatynbsp;beds, associated with fossil fish, and at Whitley,nbsp;near the sea coast, in the county of Northumberland, we lately ascertained that a similar association occurred. Here the Magnesian limestone,nbsp;which forms the whole coast of Durham, afternbsp;crossing the Tyne finally disappears; an excavationnbsp;made down to the lower red sandstone at this spot,nbsp;exhibited thin beds of a blue calcareous shale,nbsp;alternating with others of compact blue limestone.nbsp;In the shale beds, the remains of fish occurred innbsp;great abundance, occasionally perfect, but generally

VOL. HI. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;L

124

ill mere fragments; so abundant were they, that one layer of shale, not more than eighteen inchesnbsp;thick, in a space of ten feet square, furnished indications of several hundred individuals. In thisnbsp;shale-bed fragments of vegetable remains werenbsp;found, but too indistinct to allow of identification ;nbsp;they had evidently possessed considerable substance, but were changed into a fine shining coal.

The leaves of this plant appear to have been about half an inch long, rounded at the extremity,nbsp;decurrent at the back, and arranged regularly overnbsp;the surface of the stem. Whether the crushednbsp;end was a portion of the fructification, the specimennbsp;does not shew ; but we agree with Professor Phillips in considering it analogous to the Voltzias ofnbsp;the new red sandstone. It may, however, havenbsp;been an Araucaria, allied to Araucaria excelsa.

196

CALAMITES INEQUALIS.

From the collection of Professor Phillips, who says, � This Calamites is, I think, a new species.nbsp;Its irregular swellings, and unsymmetrical ramifications are remarkable. I found it with a thousandnbsp;others, chiefly of the ordinary forms of Calamites,nbsp;in a sandstone quarry east of Sheffield in 1827 ; innbsp;which quarry you might easily obtain specimensnbsp;four feet long, and not much tapering; no rootsnbsp;are there seen, but the stems lie in all directions innbsp;the sandstone.�

It is most nearly related to C. Voltzii, with which it corresponds in its lateral scars, and irregular manner of growth; but it seems to differ innbsp;its joints not regularly diminishing in size. Thenbsp;nodes are remarkably tumid at places, as if knotsnbsp;were formed in the substance of the plant; and,nbsp;what is very interesting, the specimens confirm thenbsp;opinion that Calamites were hollow. The cylindernbsp;that once was of vegetable matter has altogether anbsp;different te.xture from the interior, which is a coarsenbsp;grit that separates freely from the stem itself.

L 2

197

NEUROPTERIS HETEROPHYLLA.

N. heterophylla. Ad. Brongn. Prodr. p. 53.� Veg. foss. p. 243. tt.71 ^nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;2.

This specimen occurred in shale, worked for the Iron-stone it contains, a little north of Whitley, onnbsp;the coast of Northumberland. In the nodules ofnbsp;Iron-stone here, where vegetable remains are scarce,nbsp;we lately discovered coprolites, containing occasionally the scales of fish; beautifully defined scalesnbsp;of the Heloptychius Hibberti of Agassiz, of a comparatively small size, and one fragment of a largenbsp;dorsal ray, similar, but perhaps not identical, withnbsp;those of the Gyracanthus found in the Newcastlenbsp;coal-field, at Burdie House, and elsewhere.

128

The species derives its name from the diversity of form in the leaflets of different parts of the samenbsp;leaf. In the specimen now figured they are all ofnbsp;the same oblong figure, and altogether undivided ;nbsp;but in other parts they are furnished with auriclesnbsp;at the base (see tab. 200.), and so acquire, whennbsp;not observed in connection with each other, thenbsp;appearance of entirely different species. Thisnbsp;peculiarity is by no means confined to Fossil Ferns,nbsp;but also occurs in several modern species of Pteris.

198

LEPTDOSTR(,)BUS PINASTER.

Fi�om the coal at South Shields : communicated by Thomas Stephens, Esq., North Shields.

This new species of Lepidostrobus has several well marked characters that distinguish it fromnbsp;those already known. Its form is more narrow ;nbsp;its scales have a more prominent scar; their leafynbsp;points seem to have been more rigid; and thenbsp;number of scales that the impression exhibitsnbsp;across it does not exceed three. The scales arenbsp;rhomboidal, with a transverse oval scar at the endnbsp;which is most rounded; and that end is thickernbsp;and bevelled off at the edge. In the middle of thatnbsp;margin of the oval scar which is next .the bevellednbsp;edge is a small tubercle. Nothing is distinctlynbsp;seen of the leafy points ; but there are streaks andnbsp;stains as shewn in the figure, M'hich may possiblynbsp;be their remains.

Although the cone is so placed in our figure as to

130

have its broadest end downwards, yet we are by no means certain that it is not inverted ; on the contrary, as the bevelled end of the scales is at thenbsp;base, when the cone is in this position, and as innbsp;recent cones it is invariably at the apex, it is probable that the greater width of one end than thenbsp;other, which by the way is exaggerated in thenbsp;figure, is owing to the scales of the upper end of thenbsp;cone having opened a little, while those of the basenbsp;remain closely pressed together.

199

LEPIDODENDRON ELEGANS.

L. elegans. Supra vol. 2. tah. 118,

This beautiful impression of the surface of a large arm of Lepidodendron elegans, is from Fellingnbsp;Colliery. It is of the natural size, and completesnbsp;the figure already given of the species in the placenbsp;above referred to.

200

NEUROPTERIS HETEROPHYLLA.

N. lieterophylla. Supra Tab. 197.

Erom Jarrovv Colliery.

It is here that the separation of the leaflets of this fern becomes apparent. A collector wouldnbsp;hardly suspect the specimen now before iis, andnbsp;that figured at tab. 197, to belong to the very samenbsp;species, and yet the beautiful specimen figurednbsp;by M. Adolphe Brongniart, at tab. 71 of his worknbsp;on Fossil Plants, demonstrates the fact.

The species is near N. Loshii, tab. 49, from which it differs according to Brongniart in thenbsp;following particulars. � In that species the pinnaenbsp;succeed each other on the common rachis for a

134

considerable space almost without alteration of form or size ; but in JY. heterophylla they diminishnbsp;rapidly, and the pinnae as well as the pinnulesnbsp;then assume very different forms. Towards thenbsp;extremity of the pinnae, on the contrary, the diminution is slower, the general figure more lanceolate,nbsp;more acute, and the last lateral pinnules are muchnbsp;more lengthened. It is nevertheless possible thatnbsp;both plants may be only varieties of the samenbsp;speciesa suspicion in which we are not onlynbsp;quite inclined to participate, but which we thinknbsp;might be well applied to many other cases.

* 0.

'i-

201

DICTYOPHYLLUM CRASSINERVIUM.

So very little is known of the plants belonging to the new red sandstone formation, that duringnbsp;the progress of this work we have never before hadnbsp;an opportunity of describing a single species. Fornbsp;the fine specimen now presented to our readersnbsp;We are indebted to J. Walker, Esq. President ofnbsp;the Liverpool Institution, who brought it to London at the request of Mr. Murchison.

It was found in what the latter gentleman considers the central part of the new red sandstone system of Great Britain, while excavating thenbsp;Clarence Dock at Liverpool, and was presentednbsp;to the Liverpool Institution by Dr. Traill.

The specimen is that of a leaf of considerable size, of which only a portion of the upper end remains, the end itself and all the margin beingnbsp;broken off. It bears a striking resemblance to thenbsp;leaf of some of the thick-ribbed cabbages, consist-

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202

PECOPTERIS SERLIL

P. Serlii. Ad. Brongn. Veg. Foss.p.Z9i. t. 85.

From the Somersetshire Coal-field. It has been procured by M. Ad. Brongniart from the neighbourhood of Bath, from the coal quarry of St. Etienne,nbsp;and also from Wilkesbarre in Pennsylvania.

Its remains are always very much broken ; and yet the fragments of the leaves are well preserved;nbsp;this wmuld lead to the conjecture that it must havenbsp;been of considerable size. Brongniart describesnbsp;them as having been bipinnatifid ; but they maynbsp;have been much more compound. That theynbsp;were of different shapes in diflferent parts of thenbsp;specimen is sufficiently shewn by the portion lyingnbsp;at the lower left hand corner of the plate, wherenbsp;the segments are not half the length of those onnbsp;other parts of the specimen, and gradually diminish to the point.

VOL. III. M

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203

LEPIDODENDRON STERNBERGII.

L. Sternbergii. Supra vol. I. t-A.

We have already been so fortunate as to throw some light upon the nature of this extinct genus,nbsp;in former articles in the present work. The accompanying plate will serve to complete its illustration as far as our knowledge at present goes.

It is the figure of a magnificent individual, which has lately made its appearance in the roofnbsp;of the Bensham Coal seam, in Jarrow Colliery.nbsp;It occurs in the great deposit of vegetable fossilsnbsp;which is there, as elsewhere, twelve to eighteennbsp;inches above the seam of coal, and fortunately hasnbsp;been overthrown or settled down in a north andnbsp;south direction, which being that of the gallery,nbsp;it is plainly to be seen throughout its whole length.nbsp;Many much broader stems of Lepidodendra havenbsp;occurred, but as they did not happen to lie in thenbsp;direction of the workings, they could only benbsp;traced from side to side of the passages. This individual was thirty-nine feet in length, from the rootnbsp;to the first division into branches, the greatestnbsp;breadth three feet, and gradually tapei'ing; thenbsp;ramifications of the branches extended to the coal

142

on each side, the passage being 13J feet wide, and upwards of 10 feet in a direct line from the firstnbsp;division; here they were suddenly cut off, by anbsp;small dislocation, or slip of the strata. The specimen was pressed quite flat, and completely decorticated, having in its whole extent the generalnbsp;aspect of Sternbergs Lepidodendron rimosumnbsp;(tab. 10. fig. 1.), which is well known to be thenbsp;form of the internal surface of Lepidodendron. Asnbsp;before observed this is not by any means the largestnbsp;stem of Lepidodendron which has occurred to us,nbsp;but we figure it as being the most complete.

It is not we conceive an unfair mode of judging of the comparative magnitude of these extinctnbsp;vegetables to compare the size of the rhomboidalnbsp;scars with which they are covered, as it is obviousnbsp;where such masses are concerned, we can seldomnbsp;see them but in fragments. The unbroken stem ofnbsp;this individual was 39 feet long and 3 feet across,nbsp;and the scars were not three-fourths of an inch innbsp;length; but in the Newcastle Museun there arenbsp;several specimens beautifully preserved, where thenbsp;markings are an inch and a quarter in length, andnbsp;we lately observed on the coast of Northumberland,nbsp;at a point a little south of Seaton Sluice, a mass ofnbsp;sandstone fallen from the cliff, where the scars werenbsp;an inch and three-quarters in length; the surfacenbsp;of the mass was completely covered with the impression, which, although partly obliterated by thenbsp;tide, was yet sufficiently distinct: it was seven feetnbsp;Iona: and four feet broad.

204

SPHENOPTERIS H�NINGHA�SI.

Sphenopteris H�ninghausi. Ad. Brongn. Hist, des V�g�t. fossiles, 1. 199. t. 52.

Originally sent to Adolphe Brongniart from Newcastle ; our specimen is from Felling Colliery.

It forms one of a beautiful set of species, which the great describer of such plants refers to the genusnbsp;Cheilanthes. It is known by its thick leaf-stalk,nbsp;and oval or obovate, very obtuse, entire, or three-lobed pinnules.

205

SIGILLARIA FLEXUOSA.

From Killingworth Colliery, near Newcastle.

In many respects this is very like S. reniformis, from which, however, it differs in the presence ofnbsp;numerous, wavy, well defined lines, which apparently originate at the base of the leaves, and passnbsp;downwards, eventually losing themselves in thenbsp;channels of the stem.

We have already expressed {Vol. 1. p. 153.) our opinion that Sigillarias are not the remains of Treenbsp;ferns. In a late number of his excellent Histoirenbsp;des V�g�taux fossiles, M. Adolphe Brongniart,nbsp;defends with great acuteness and ingenuity thenbsp;opinion that they were of that nature. To us, however, it still appears that the evidence is mostnbsp;defective and unsatisfactory, provided the genusnbsp;Sigillaria is limited to the species with flutednbsp;stems ; such as those which have been figured innbsp;this work. But if it is made to comprehend all

148

the scarred stems included in the genus by M, Brongniart, we in that case are quite ready tonbsp;admit, that many (so called) Sigillarias, were eithernbsp;the rhizomata or trunks of Ferns.

206

LEPIDODENDRON OOCEPHALUM.

From Jarrow Colliery.

Apparently the fructification, in an incipient state, of a Lepidodendron allied to L. selaginoidesnbsp;and acerosum, but with more slender and longernbsp;leaves ; the scale-like appearance upon the surface,nbsp;is caused by the breaking off from their base ofnbsp;leaves similar to those shewn at the sides.

K

207

LEPIDODENDRON PLUMARIUM.

From Jarrow Colliery.

Whatever was the nature of the Lepidodendron gracile, figured at plate 9, the same it may be supposed was that of the species which forms thenbsp;subject of the present figure. It consisted of a number of slender leaves, closely arranged over theirnbsp;stem, and curved upwards, like the plumes of anbsp;feather.

208

OTOPTERIS ACUMINATA; var. BREVIFOLIA.

Erom the lower sandstone of Haiburn wyke near Scarborough.

Mr. Williamson, Jun., to whom we are indebted for the drawing, observes that the leaflets are considerably shorter and less acuminated than thosenbsp;of the first O. acuminata ; they are also blunter.nbsp;But these slight differences are no more than maynbsp;be expected in different varieties of the samenbsp;species.

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209

SOLENITES ? FURCATA.

From the lower sandstone of Haiburn wyke near Scarborough; communicated by Mr. Williamson,nbsp;Jun.

It occurs in the state here represented, the surface being marked by traces of delicate striae. We place it in Solenites rather for the sake of givingnbsp;the plant a station and a name, than because wenbsp;have any reason for considering it of the samenbsp;nature, further than its similarity of appearance.

210 A.

OTOPTERIS OVALIS.

From the oolitic formation of Gristhorpe Bay ; communicated by Mr. Williamson, Jun. who says,nbsp;that two specimens only have been discovered,nbsp;one of which was much smaller than that figured.nbsp;Both specimens had a small short petiole, butnbsp;they were not found attached to any thing. Theynbsp;are composed of a thin brown substance whichnbsp;may be removed from the shale with a penknife.nbsp;Each leaf consists of a midrib passing through tonbsp;the point, and of veins either simple or oncenbsp;forked, planted perpendicularly upon it.

It is probable that the specimens are leaflets of some compound leaf, and possibly of a new Otop-teris, to which genus we refer them.

11

210 B.

CARPOLITHES ALATA.

Ciirpolitlies aiata. Supru vol. l. l. 87.

From Jarrow Colliery.

We presume this to be a more complete state of the fossil figured at plate 87 of the first volumenbsp;of this book, and probably to be the same as thenbsp;fig. 4. tab. 45. of Sternberg. In those specimensnbsp;the shell has been broken and the interior laidnbsp;open ; here, on the contrary, we have a view ofnbsp;its external form, without however any additionalnbsp;information as to what it was.

VOL, in

211

ASTEROPHYLLITES RIGIDA.

From Jarrow Colliery.

This plant agrees very much with Asterophyllites comosa, from which it is distinguished by itsnbsp;stouter and more erect leaves, which have not,nbsp;however, so well defined an outline as our engraver has given them, but are little more thannbsp;long narrow stains upon the shale.

212

SPHENOPTERIS EXCELSA.

From the Newcastle Coal-field.

The specimens of this very beautiful fern are so imperfect, that we can neither ascertain what thenbsp;margin was of the leaflets, nor the nature of theirnbsp;veins. It appears, however, to belong to the genusnbsp;Sphenopteris in the neighbourhood of Sp. Conwayi,nbsp;where it must stand until better evidence shall benbsp;produced as to its precise structure.

213

PECOPTERIS MARGINATA.

I'ecopteris marginata, Ad. Brongn. Hist, des V�g�t.foss. 1,291. t. 87.

A fern of frequent occurrence in the Coal of the North of England.

What is here represented is a pinna of a bipin-natifid leaf; the pinnules seem to have been drawn a little together before the plant was fixednbsp;in the matrix, and there is every appearance of itsnbsp;having been some hard-leaved species.

M. Ad. Brongniart compares it with Pteris biaurita.

214

SPHENOPTERIS CUNEOLATA.

From the Newcastle Coal-field.

The forked stem of this fern approximates it to S. artemisiasfolia and its allies, from which it is distinguished by the narrow, wedge-shaped, entire, ornbsp;emarginate lobes of its leaves. In that respect itnbsp;may be compared with Sp. furcata, but that plantnbsp;has a regularly bipinnatifid leaf.

Not a trace of veins could be found in the specimen from which the drawing was made.

215

PECOPTERIS OREOPTERIDIS.

Pecopteris oreopterldls. Ad. Brongn. Hist, des V�g�t. fossiles, 1. 317. t. \05.f. 1, 2, 3.

One of the finest of the coal-ineasure ferns, and in all probability the remains of an arborescentnbsp;species. Sent from Welbatch, near Shrewsbury,nbsp;by the Rev. W. Corbett.

Its bipinnate character and its large size will prevent its being easily mistaken for any thing except P. polymorpha, and from that species M. Ad.nbsp;Brongniart well distinguishes it by the veins of thenbsp;leaflets, which, here, are simple or only forked, andnbsp;m the former plant dichotomous or twice forked.

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216

CALAMITES APPROXIMATES.

Calamites approximatus. Adolphe Brongniart Hist. 1. 133. /. 24. t. 15. �. 7, 8.�Artis Antediluv.phytol. t. 4.

The accompanying drawing was made from a beautiful specimen of this plant, nearly fifteennbsp;inches long and three inches and three-quartersnbsp;wide, communicated by Professor Buckland fromnbsp;Camerton.

It agrees in a striking manner with the figures of Artis and Adolphe Brongniart, with the additionnbsp;of a number of pits placed on the articulations, innbsp;a quincunical manner, as in Calamites cruciatus.nbsp;Hence it is probable that the latter supposed species will require to be reduced to C. approximatus.

217

CYCLOPTERIS OBLATA.

A noble species of this curious genus, sent us by Matthew Dawes, Esq. of Acresfield, Bolton-le-Moor,nbsp;from Little Lever near the latter place.

It is obviously different from all the species hitherto discovered, not only in its unusual size,nbsp;but also in the peculiar oblate form of the leaf.nbsp;The specimen appears to have been extremely delicate, for it is much puckered and plaited acrossnbsp;the veins, as is happily expressed by our artist innbsp;his figure.

Probably Adiantites giganteus of Goppert is something of this sort.

. JIPUWIMIP

218

BOTHRODENDRON PUNCTATUM.

Bothrodendron punctatum. Supra vol. 2. tab. 80.

It is not uncommon to find in the sandstone of the coal measures such bodies as that nowquot; represented ; oblique flattened convexities, having anbsp;circular scar or two at their apex, and their sidesnbsp;indistinctly marked by depressed or elevated lines,nbsp;losing themselves in the sandstone.

These bodies are the bases of the cones of Bothro-dendron, and are already alluded to at Plate 80. To what is there said concerning them we findnbsp;nothing to add. Such a cone as the one before usnbsp;once fitted into the sockets shewn on the stem atnbsp;Plate 80 ; its apparent apex is the base, its truenbsp;apex is lost in the sandstone, and the scar atnbsp;VOL. in.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;p

176

the centre of their convexity is where they joined the trunk.

The specimen here represented was communicated by D. D. G. Lloyd, Esq. from Ketley, east of the Wrekin, a freestone quarry belonging to Lordnbsp;Gower.

219

BRACHYPHYLLUM MAMMILLARE.

Brachyphyllum mammilkre. Supr� tab. 188,

We have been induced to republish this plant in the hope that a second figure would convey anbsp;more correct idea of it than the first, in which thenbsp;ends of the branches were represented too thick, andnbsp;the points of the leaves in the magnified view toonbsp;sharp, convex, and recurved. In some respects thenbsp;present plate is more correct, but the magnified portion is made to resemble too much the surface of anbsp;Lepidendron, covered with lozenge-shaped scars.

In reality the fossil has its old branches closely covered with short, ovate, rather obtuse, appressed,nbsp;ribless, scale-like leaves, which diminish in numbernbsp;as the branches diminish, till, without altering in

p 2

178

form, they become on the youngest twigs merely alternate. It should be compared with such recentnbsp;Coniferous plants as are represented at t. 127 ofnbsp;this work.

220

CARPOLITHES SULCATA.

In ironstone on Wardie Beach, near Newhaven, found by the Lord Greenock.

This fruit may be thus described. Ovate, three-eighths of an inch wide, by five-eighths long, chalky white, tapering to the point, very slightly depressednbsp;at the base, with about ten deep furrows, which donbsp;not reach the base, apparently one-celled, with anbsp;thick pericarp.

221

TRIGONOCARPUM DAWESII.

From Peel stone quarry near Bolton. Mr. Dawes.

Oblong, rather wider at one end. Two inches and a quarter long, an inch and a quarter wide,nbsp;with three slight nearly equidistant angles. Probably the nut of a Palm.

222

2. amp; 4. TRIGONOCARPUM N�GGERATHI.

See Plate 193. B.

1. amp; 3. TRIGONOCARPUM OLIV^FORME.

From Peel stone quarry, near Bolton. Mr. Dawes.

These are obviously Palm fruits (see vol. 2. plate 142.) T. olivseforme has only three angles insteadnbsp;of six, and is more ovate ; otherwise it hardlynbsp;differs from T. N�ggerathi.

223

PECOPTERIS BUCKLANDII.

Pecopteris Bucklandii. Ad. Brongn. Hist, des V�g�t. fossiles 1. 319. t. 99. �. 2.

Erom the Newcastle coal-field.

Our specimen is in the same state as that sent from Camerton to M. Brongniart by Dr. Buck-land ; so that we are equally unable to say whethernbsp;it is a species with a tripinnatifid or bipinnatifidnbsp;leaf. It is, however, easily known by its smallnbsp;size, as compared with P. oreopteridis, amp;c. to whichnbsp;it approaches. M. Brongniart says that the verynbsp;oblique direction of the veins, which are bifurcatenbsp;near their base, and sometimes forked again nearnbsp;the top of their upper arm, constitutes a good distinguishing character.

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224 and 225

STERNBERGIA APPROXIMATA.

Sternbergia arigulosa. Artin Antedil- phylcl- t. 8. Stenibcrgia approxlmata. Alt;l. Bronc/n. Prodr, p. 137

A most singular coal-measure plant, occuiring in most of the coal-fields of this country, but notnbsp;abundant anv where. The specimens are usuallynbsp;found in Sandstone, and are covered with fine coal,nbsp;which either adheres in the form of an even thicknbsp;glossy integument, or adheres in a powdery state tonbsp;the surface of the stern.

Phe specimens figured in plate 225, are from Somersetshire and Newcastle; that in plate 224 isnbsp;from Halliwell stone quarry near Bolton, from Mr.nbsp;Eawes. They dilfer in size, in being more or lessnbsp;angular, and in the distance between their cross

188

bars; but we see nothing to justify us in coiisider-ing such characters as of specific importance.

When the integument of coal is broken off, these plants are sometimes found simply marked bynbsp;horizontal depressed lines, which meet alternatelynbsp;from opposite sides anastomozing in the middle ;nbsp;but in other cases the space between the lines is excavated into deep furrows, and honey-combed as itnbsp;were by the foi-mation of short perpendicular barsnbsp;which connect the lines; traces also may be foundnbsp;of lines running along the sides of the stem for anbsp;considerable distance. The result of this is thatnbsp;many stems appear as if they were composed ofnbsp;horizontal plates, about l-16th of an inch apartnbsp;and held together by some connection in the axisnbsp;of the stem: a most extraordinary appearance, tonbsp;which we know of no parallel, and which we are bynbsp;no means prepared to say is their real structure.

M. Adolphe Brongniart regards such stems as analogous to those of Yucca or Dracaena, considering the horizontal lines as the stations of leavesnbsp;which have fallen off. We regret to say that wenbsp;have no evidence to produce either in confirmationnbsp;or refutation of this opinion, beyond what the platesnbsp;and the above remarks afford.

226 A

ZAMIA OVATA.

We received this beautiful and unique specimen froiu W. Richardson, Esq., F.G.S. who found itnbsp;'Jpon the coast of Kent, near Feversham. Thenbsp;surface of the land in and about that place isnbsp;covered with bouldered green sand fossils, to whichnbsp;this also belongs.

It is evidently of the same nature as the cone figured at plate 125 of this work, bat appears to benbsp;distinguished specifically by the ends of the scalesnbsp;being acute or nearly so, and not truncate, and bynbsp;the ovate form of the cone itself. The specimen isnbsp;much rolled ; but whether these differences can benbsp;assigned to that circumstance must be shewn bynbsp;further evidence.

It is not a little curious that the only two Zamia cones yet found in the green sand should both havenbsp;been partially devoured on one side. Here thenbsp;figure A. 2. shews that the whole interior of the cone

192

evident from the nature of the remains in that locality that they are Lacustrine, and of the postdiluvian period.�

The cone is in the state of half charred wood, or rather in that of wood met with in the brown coalnbsp;formation; and has a strong woody centre, roundnbsp;which are loosely arranged a considerable number of woody scales as in the cone of the Europeannbsp;Larch. The scales are so much broken that theirnbsp;original form cannot be ascertained with certainty;nbsp;it is probable, however, that they were entire,nbsp;rounded, rather oblate, and thinned off to the edge,nbsp;as in the genus Lari.x.

Possibly this may be referable to the genus Voltzia, of which all the species hitherto discoverednbsp;are from the new Red Sandstone, or grhs bigarr�.

227 A

endogenites striata.

We sometimes find in the coal-measures bits of ^ stem with a slight carbonaceous coating, belownbsp;which pass numerous parallel furrows. It is to benbsp;supposed that the furrows are the woody fibres ofnbsp;Endogen, and the carbonaceous coating itsnbsp;lt;^orticaI integument, which stands in room of bark.

^1.

227 B

CARPOLITHES AREOLATA.

From the oolite of Buckland.

A conical angular body, divided into irregular areolations, with prominences here and there whichnbsp;bear no definite relation to such areolations, andnbsp;over which it seems as if a coating of cellular substance had been drawn; such is all that can benbsp;made out in this production.

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228

HALONIA REGULARIS.

Fig. 1. from Halliwell stone quarry near Bolton; fig. 2. from Peel stone quarry near Bolton; bothnbsp;communicated by Mr. Dawes.

These are most remarkable specimens of this curious genus. They are quite distinct both innbsp;dimensions, and in the regularity with which theirnbsp;tubercles are arranged, from either of the speciesnbsp;previously figured.

Pub: b;^'

229

FILICITES SCOLOPENDRIOIDES.

Filicites scolopeiidrioides. Ad. Brongn. Ann. des sc. nat. xvi. 443. t. 18. �. 2. Histoire des veg. foss. 1. 388. t 137. �. 2.

The specimen figured by M. Adolphe Brong-niart under this name from the gr�s bigarr� of Sultz-les-Bains is in a state of fructification. Thatnbsp;from which our plate has been taken was barren ;nbsp;we received it from Mr. J. S. Bowerbank, whonbsp;procured it from the new Red Sandstone nearnbsp;Whitby. It was so long that we can only shewnbsp;the upper and lower extremities, and is chieflynbsp;interesting as proving that the principal distinctionnbsp;between the barren and fertile pinnse of the plantnbsp;consists in the former being adherent to the rachisnbsp;by their whole base, slightly falcate and obtuse,

204

as is represented in M. Brongniart�s figure at the bottom.

No evidence concerning the veins was afforded by Mr. Bowerbank�s specimen; but it proved mostnbsp;distinctly that the leaf was not simple as M. Brong-niart supposes, with parallel simple oblique rows ofnbsp;fructification, but pinnated, with the upper pinnaenbsp;covered all over their back with fructification. Thenbsp;barren pinnae either occupied only the lower partnbsp;of the leaf, or, as in the specimen before us, constituted the whole leaf, as in the modern Acrostichanbsp;aureum and inaequale.

We consider this plant nearly allied to the Indian Acrostichum Wightianum.

230

SPHENOPTERIS LINEARIS.

Sphenopteris linearis. Sternb. FI. t. 42. �. 4. Ad. Brongn. Hist, des Vig�t. fossiles, 1. 175.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;1.

Found by Count Sternberg in the Bohemian Coal-field, and by Dr. Hibbert and others in thatnbsp;of the North of England.

The broad wedge-shaped pinnules, with truncated lobes, which have pretty generally two or three shallow crenatures at their end, together withnbsp;a compactness of growth not common in the genus,nbsp;mark this species at first sight.

The plant figured at plate 181 under the name of Sp. furcata is too near this. The true Sp.fur-cata is more divaricated with longer and narrowernbsp;lobes to its pinnules.

INDEX TO VOLUME III.

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