LIGNITES OF BRANDON, VERMONT 639 
walls (f 9). The walls of the tracheids were also found to be 
thickened spirally on their interior. In longitudinal tangential 
section the ends of the medullary rays show plainly (f. ro). They 
have been considerably distorted, yet their arrangement can be 
made out. They are usually simple; that is consist of a single 
layer of cells, yet scattered among these are a few compound 
rays with a single included resin-duct, a well-known character of 
the genus Pinus. Indeed, after a careful study I am scarcely 
able to distinguish the Brandon lignite from a species of Pityoxylon 
described by Schmalhausen* from the Eocene and Braunkohle of 
southwestern Russia. The material studied by Schmalhausen 
was better preserved and he was able to work out the details of 
structure in a more satisfactory manner than is the case with the 
Brandon material. Yet on the whole I am inclined to regard 
them as of only varietal difference. Schmalhausen has named the 
Russian species Pityoxylon microporosum. For the Brandon form 
I propose the name Pityoxylon microporosum Brandonianum. 
The type is described as follows: Annual rings plainly 
marked, rather thick ; medullary rays moderately numerous, the 
simple ones 1—7 cells high, the larger enclosing the resin duct 
about 18 cells high; wood-cells marked by numerous lines, the 
Pores small and remote; pores on the medullary rays large, oval, 
I—2 to the width of each wood-cell. 
The Brandon form differs in the narrower annual rings and the 
smaller size of the cells in general. It is not well enough pre- 
Served to show markings on the medullary rays if these be present. 
The walls of the tracheids are thickly covered with fine spiral lines 
and the bordered pits are also smaller than in the type. The con- 
tents of the resin-tubes can not be made out.* 
While as already stated the bulk of the lignite examined 
Proved to be coniferous, I fortunately secured one small but well 
ee 
* Beitr. z. Tertidr-Flora Siid-West-Russlands : Palaeont. Abhandl. von Dames u. 
Keyser, 1: 33 88 
> 1: 334. pl. ar. f. 1-7. 1884. . 
t At this point my study was interrupted and consists of a few scattered notes on a 
few species. It had been my intention to take up each form and subject in a ah 
Microscopical study. As I can not hope to finish it along these lines for some time, i 
ever, I present the following fragments with due apologies for their disconnected 
nature, and in the hope that they may prove of some value should any one desire to 
take up the investigation. 
