MR. J. 8. GARDNER ON ALNUS RICHARDSONI. 421 
the apex, truncated at the base, slightly winged laterally, and is 
fashioned into two lobes by a deep groove which extends almost 
from top to bottom. When partly decayed, the apex falls 
away, and exposes what appears to be a smooth kernel with a 
blunted bilobed termination. These may frequently be seen pro- 
jecting from the cones in certain stages of decay (fig. 8). The 
seeds are often exposed in transverse fractures (fig. 17), though 
the cones more frequently break in the line of the scales (fig. 18). 
The best way to obtain them is to leave the fruit in water for 
some time and then expose it to the air, when it crumbles up 
and, if not too far decayed, yields its seeds. In form and size 
the seed exactly resembles that of Alnus glutinosa (fig. 24), 
but possesses considerably more substance. In the latter the 
seeds are more numerous, three or four to each scale, and a 
large proportion are undeveloped ; but in the fossil species each 
seed was protected by its scaie and separately jointed to the 
axis, and a very large proportion relatively to Alnus seem fully 
developed. A generic distinction might possibly be based upon 
this character. Every cone that Ihave yet examined still retains 
its seeds, so that they were not shed till after the cones had 
fallen from the tree. I have, however, also found seeds in the 
cones of Alnus that I have picked up even late in winter. Yet, 
from all the peculiarities enumerated, it seems likely that they 
remained in the cone for a relatively much longer period, and 
did not become detached even after prolonged maceration in 
water. This is, however, only a matter of inference; for pine- 
cones that have gaped and shed their seed float for a much 
longer period than those which retain them ; and we have thus in 
some fossil floras, as at Sheppey, only cones with seeds ; and in 
others, as at Bracklesham, only cones without seeds. It is possible, 
therefore, that in this instance the spent cones may have simi- 
larly floated away to a greater distance; but I do not think it 
probable, for the presence of seed in Alnus does not imply much 
more sap in the tissue, and would not therefore greatly affect the 
specific gravity. 
The relationship of our cone to Alnus appears obvious; and, 
indeed, the resemblance is so strong in many respects as to render 
its separation almost impossible. The chief difference lies in the 
seeding; but until there is an opportunity of dissecting cones of 
all the exotic species, it cannot be affirmed with certainty that 
any of the characters are confined to the fossil species. The 
