the Carboniferous Strata near Wigan. 265 



stems in something like quincuncial order, like the rootlets of 

 the last-named plant; but of this circumstance I cannot speak 

 with absolute certainty. 



The specimen No. 4 differed from the other three only in 

 its base, which did not terminate in the same club-shaped 

 extremity which they did; but after the joints had gradually 

 approximated it turned inwards, and it could not then be seen 

 whether it ended or was inserted into some other stem. 



In addition to the above there were many Calamites, both 

 in erect, inclined, and horizontal positions, but no leaves or 

 branches were satisfactorily traced to them. 



In the course of his examination of upright stems of Sigil- 

 laria^ in the coal-measures, the writer has nearly always found 

 Calamites associated with them. At St. Helens they were 

 abundant, and their bases were found in contact with the 

 main roots of Sigillariae. One of the authors of the Fossil 

 Flora, Mr. Hutton, in describing the Burdiehouse fossils at 

 page 24, vol. iii. of that work, states as follows : " Amongst 

 vegetables, the characteristic fossils of this deposit are Lepi- 

 dostrobi, Lepidophyllites, Lepidodendra, and Filicites; the 

 rarity of Calamites, which occur but seldom, and of a dimi- 

 nutive size, and the almost entire absence of Stigmaria, are 

 very striking to those who are accustomed to view the fossil 

 groups usually presented by the beds of the carboniferous 

 formation ; whilst the profusion of Lepidostrobi and Lepido- 

 phyllites of various sizes and in various stages of growth asso- 

 ciated with the stems of Lepidodendra and those of no other 

 plant, is an additional argument for the opinion which has 

 always appeared highly probable, that they were the fruit, 

 leaves and stem of the same tribe of plants. Of Sigillaria, a 

 plant which in the flora of the carboniferous group generally 

 is of so much importance, we could not observe a trace." 



In the course of his own observations, the writer has never 

 yet been able to meet with a stem of Sigillaria of so small a 

 size as six inches in diameter, or a Calamites of so large a size 

 as that. Doubtless there must have been young Sigillariae 

 whether or not there were large Calamites. Now what are 

 oung Sigillariae? This is a question which yet remains to 

 e answered. 



It is now admitted that little is known about the true nature 

 of the genera Sigillaria and Calamites, except that they were 

 not the hollow succulent stems which they were once supposed 

 to be. 



The rootlets of Calamites, as previously shown, if not actu- 

 ally identical with, at least very much resemble those of Sigil- 

 laria. In some specimens of this latter genus, especially those 



I 



