Physiologie. — Palaeontologie. 37 



they are thus suited. It also reduces Ihe absorption of the nutrient 

 salts by the plant, darkening the root tips, stunting root development 

 and inhibiting the oxidizing power of the roots. 



John W. Harshberger. 



Bartlett, H. H., The submarine Bog at Woods Hole. (Rho- 

 dora XL p. 221—238. Dec. 1909.) 



In this paper is described the discovery of a white cedar 

 {Chamaecyparis) bog covered on the seaward face by salt marsh 

 Vegetation and deposits, while landward it is a typical cedar swamp. 

 The author presents the evidence which leads to the conclusion 

 that this unusual relationship of vegetal remains is proof of former 

 coastal subsidence. John W. Harshberger. 



Kidston, R. and D. T. Gwynne-Vaughan. On the Ancestry 

 of the Osmundaceae. (Rep. british Assoc. Sei. Winnipeg. p. 665. 



1909.) 



The structure of the stems and leaf bases of Zalesskya gracilis 

 and Z. diploxylon as well as Thamnopteris schlechtendahlii from the 

 Russian Permian, lead the authors to consider them as primitive 

 Osmwudaceae. The fossils have a solid protostele, and it is held that 

 the pith of modern Osmundaceae is a true pith, derived from the 

 simplification of the central xylem. The Osmundaceae and Zygopte- 

 rideae are held to spring from a common ancestor. M. C. Stopes. 



Lillie, D. G., Notes on the fossil Flora of the Bristol 

 Coal-field. (Geol. Mag. 548. p. 58— 67 . text ill. and pl. VII. 1910.) 



The paper Supplements the work of Kids ton on the Upper 

 Coal measures of the Bristol area. The fossil flora of this. the 

 Farrington Series, is enriched by twenty one addition specific records 

 by the present writer. Of these plants, one species is new and one 

 a species of Lepidodendroti hitherto unrecorded for England. 



The new species. Sphenopteris ovalifolia is shortly described and 

 compared with some species of Renaidtia. 



In addition to the impressions, petrifactions with structures of 

 Cordaites twigs and a petiole of Myeloxylon are recorded, but not 

 described. 



The general conclusion confirms Dr. Kidston's view that the 

 Farrington and Rodstock series- belong to the some palaeobotanical 

 horizon in the Upper Coal-measures. M. C. Stopes. 



Neuweiler, E., Untersuchungen über das Vorkommen prä- 

 historischer Hölzer in der Schweiz. Ein Beitrag zur Ge- 

 schichte unseres Waldes. (Vierteljahrsschr. natf. Ges. Zürich. 

 LV. 1910.) 



Verf. hat gQ%^x\ 1000 Holzresie aus prähistorischen Fundstellen 

 der Schweiz mikroskopisch untersucht und bestimmt. Er fand fol- 

 gende 36 bestimmbare Arten in der beigeschr. Anzahl von Proben 

 in paläolitischen (P.), neolithischen (N.), bronzezeitlichen (B.), eisen- 

 reitlichen (E.) und römischen (R.) Fundorten. 



