288 Mr. J. S. Patrick on the Fossil Veyetahles 



Another fossil very rare, in that district at least, is the Halonia 

 tuherculata, of which a very fine specimen was obtained several 

 years ago by Mr. Landsborough, adhering to the surface of the 

 upper stratum of sandstone. A specimen was sent to me lately, 

 purporting to be this species of the Halonia, but as I am dubious 

 of the correctness of this assertion, I shall not notice it on the 

 present occasion. 



We next come to the Lepidodendia, of which Mr. Gourlay says, 

 " This genus of fossil plants is one of great interest, not only on 

 account of its alaundance and the elegance and beauty of its im- 

 pressions and casts, but from the affinity between the fossil Le- 

 pidodendron and two existing genera of plants. In the first volume 

 of the ' Fossil Flora,^ by Dr. Lindley and Mr. Hutton, the authors 

 express their belief that the Lepidodendra would be found to be 

 intermediate between the Coniferm and Lycopodiacea of the pre- 

 sent day. The first of these natural orders, the Conifer<2, com- 

 prehends the pines, larch, cedar, &c. The Lycopodiacea, on the 

 other hand, are small in size compared with either the Lepido- 

 dendra or the Conifer(e, and a few species are indigenous to this 

 country, where they are familiarly known as club-mosses. The 

 opinion referred to has been confirmed by subsequent investiga- 

 tions. Some of the specimens of this genus, contributed to the 

 Glasgow Geological Museum, are of singular beauty ; and in par- 

 ticular some specimens of Lep. elegans from C. J. Baird, Esq. of 

 Shotts Iron-work.^^ I have three species of this fossil, Lepido- 

 dendron Sternbergii, Lep. Harcourtii, and a very curious and pecu- 

 liar variety which is also rare, although Mr. Landsborough in- 

 forms me he has a fine large specimen of it. Of this variety I 

 am unable to give the proper specific name. (See Plate V. fig. 2.) 



Endogenites striata is occasionally met with. I have one spe- 

 cimen. 



The last of the Coniferce which I shall mention at present is 

 one which, as far as I am aware, is unique. It was discovered in 

 1843 by Mr. Landsborough. Most of the members of this So- 

 ciety are aware that, previous to the meeting of the British Asso- 

 ciation in Glasgow in Sept. 1840, a committee was appointed to 

 make a collection of the minerals, rocks and organic remains of 

 the west of Scotland ; through their exertions, and with the zealous 

 co-operation of many noblemen and gentlemen of the surrounding 

 districts, particularly in the mining departments, a very extensive 

 and beautiful collection was got together, which now forms, with 

 the additions since that period, the Geological Museum of Glas- 

 gow. To this Mr. Landsborough presented many valuable con- 

 tributions. 



With regard to the fossil under consideration, Mr. Landsbo- 

 rough, not being able to class it with any known species, submitted 



