72 Contributions towards Establishing the General Character 



These points of agreement between the stem Sigillaria and the root 

 Stigmana cannot but give rise to tlie suspicion, that they are the parts 

 so named of one and the same plant. 



The examination of the Ouse Burn fossil brought to light a character 

 which, until then, was not generally known as belonging to Stigmaria, 

 I allude to the rude flutings. The Newcastle Museum contains several 

 specimens displaying the same character. One of these shews the exter- 

 nal surface of the cuticle ornamented with a number of scars ; but the 

 latter are only seen on the median part of the ribs — the furrows being, 

 like those of Sigillaria, entirely without them : the wide difference be- 

 tween this specimen, and those usually met with, led some to suppose 

 that it belonged to an undescribed genus. It was its fluted character 

 that caused me to maintain that the Ouse Burn fossil was a Stigmaria. 



It will be recollected, when the North Biddick stems were described, 

 that the ribs at their base were stated to be nearly obsolete. Now, the 

 rude flutings of Stigmaria have very much the aspect of these obsolete 

 ribs — the only difference being, that the former are not so regular ; the 

 resemblance, however, is so striking as, of itself, to suggest the opinion 

 that Stigmaria is nothing more than the root of Sigillaria ; but, consider- 

 ing that the rude flutings, and the nearly obsolete ribs are on those parts 

 where it may be supposed the two fossils were joined, and consequently 

 where the former passed into the latter, it would appear that this opinion 

 is so far rendered extremely probable. If the Dixon-fold specimens have 

 the surface of the upper portion of their roots rudely fluted, it would 

 follow that at this stage of our inquiries the question was completely 

 settled. I have not seen the Dixon-fold Sigillarias myself, but Mr Mor- 

 ris, who has, and who has also examined the fluted Stigmarias in the 

 Newcastle Museum, has assured me, that the flutings on the base of 

 some of the former closely resemble the same character on the latter. 

 The account which Mr Hawkshaw has published of the Dixon-fold 

 specimens would even incline one to rest satisfied on this point; for, he 

 says, near the root of one (No. 5.) a coaly envelope remains, about 

 three-fourths of an inch in thickness, having " its surface marked slightly 

 with longitudinal furrows, but they are very irregular in distance and 

 direction."* 



The two specimens of Sigillaria from North Biddick, as they now 

 stand in the Newcastle Museum, shew no indications of root-branches ; 

 but on some portions which formed the root-stock of one, and which it 

 has been deemed necessary to preserve separately, there is a decided 

 appearance, not only of marginal branches, but also of others originating 

 inwardly to the latter. The branches are unfortunately broken ofl*, or 

 truncated, almost at their commencement ; what remains is, however, of 

 considerable value in our inquiries. 



It is well known that the cuticle of Stigmaria is more or less wrinkled, 



* Transactions of the Geological Society. Second Series, Part VI. p. 174. 



