30 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



fications of the same arrangement form the centre 

 of the object, but much more loose in texture. In 

 some cases cavities of an irregular shape appear filled 

 only with the fine particles forming the rock, and 

 which polarise feebly. Interspersed throughout the 



this would agree with the fact that they are more 

 specially organised. 



The remains having been deposited in shallow 

 water, and the general simplicity of structure, inclines 

 me to think they are both of algal nature, but that in 









■*^ii~-_j 





^^^r^ l>i^^^^ ^t-i-'J^,^ 







>i«.* 



\ 









Fig. 23.— Fossil plant from the Silurian at Rumney, near Cardiff. X 140 diam. 



object are a large number of spherical bodies, varying 

 in size from 'ooi downwards. In some cases they are 

 quite transparent, in others, opaque, being filled with 

 iron oxide, while in others a mineral which under 

 polarised light behaves like glauconite fills the cavity. 



Remarks. — It would be difficult from the evidence 

 afforded by these sections to assign the correct habitat 

 of this plant, whether terrestrial or aquatic ; in itself 

 it is a mere fragment, and if of terrestrial origin may 

 give us an insight into only a small part of the plant, 

 from which it was derived ; but if tliis were the case, 

 I am disposed to think other portions would have 

 been met with ere this, as the rocks have not been 

 neglected from which this specimen was procured. 



If, on the other hand, it was of aquatic origin, we 

 are more likely to have the entire detail of its 

 structure present, seeing that most Algal forms are 

 simple in their structure. In Pachytlura spharica 

 we find the same general character, the elaboration 

 of branching cells or tubes being doubtless to give 

 consistency to the covering of the contained spores. 



If P. spharica is the fruit of a plant, as doubtless it 

 is, and the bodies described in the first section are 

 really germs or spores, I should hesitate to believe 

 they were different parts of one plant. Pachytheca 

 extends higher in the series of beds than the one 

 from which my first described section was taken, and 



this unknown and as yet unnamed specimen we have 

 one of the pioneers of the vegetation that now so 

 abundantly flourishes on land and in the seas. 



Cai-diff, 



A Water-Spout. — On the 17th November, my 

 wife, and son (who has been round the world four 

 times) saw near the Flat Holmes, Burnham, a water- 

 spout, or rather, I should say, a huge column of black 

 cloud revolving rapidly. It tore up the water in a 

 most astounding way. Its course was from north- 

 west to north-east, then to south-east and south-south- 

 east. They saw it a little before twelve. Its course 

 was so rapid that my son said it went faster than the 

 Flying Dutchman on the Great Western Railway. 

 It reached Yeovil, Dorset, a little after twelve, and 

 the damage done there and elsewhere was enormous. 

 The roar was deafening, as a man said, like a lot of 

 express trains running through a tunnel. Soon after 

 a terrific squall came up from the west and north, 

 with tremendous rain and hail. On November 19th 

 a heavy thunderstorm with vivid lightning passed 

 over the Meudips and beyond them, travelling from 

 north to east, and from east to south-south-east at 

 night.— ^. //, B. 



