of the Fossil Plants of the genus Higillaria. 285 



bring together portions of plants having no connection with each other ; 

 and, on the contrary, the same means might widely separate different por- 

 tions of the same plant ; but, under the circumstances which these remains 

 occur, — ^being unmixed with any other fossils, it seems extremely probable 

 that they are portions of one and the same Fern. Neuropteris cunferta^ 

 which belongs to that section which our reasoning would lead to the 

 belief constitute the foliage of some species of Sigillaria, occurs in the 

 Zechstein of Ottendorf in Silesia ; but I have not heard of any portions of 

 the latter fossil having been found associated with it. And Neuropteris 

 cordata, Mr Binney, one of the secretaries of the Manchester Geological 

 Society, informs me, is most abundant in Lancashire, where ISigillaria 

 is not to be found. I mention these facts to shew, that, however strongly 

 a certain view may appear to be supported by certain processes of rea- 

 soning, it is necessary, previously to forming any positive conclusion, to 

 be in possession of evidences more to be depended upon. Let ii be un- 

 derstood, that I am perfectly agreeable that this observation should 

 be applied to the conclusion which has just been arrived at : this being 

 allowed, it behoves us, then, to adopt some means by which it may 

 be tested. Now, the most effective means with which I am at pro- 

 sent acquainted, consists of the leaves which are usually found im- 

 bedded with ^igillaria, especially when the latter is in situ. When the 

 North Biddick specimens came under my notice, it occurred to me^ 

 that the leaves which might be found so associated were probably those 

 which had belonged to them. I was thus led to examine the rock in 

 which they were imbedded; and although other foliaceous remains were 

 observed, for example, Asterophyllites, yet the prevailing one was a form 

 allied to Neuropteris heterophylla, but with larger leaflets than those of the 

 specimen figured by Brongniart. A similar result has attended my ex- 

 amination of some large masses of shale, containing impressions of 

 Sigillaria, which were sent to the Newcastle Museum from Derwent 

 Vale Colliery on the Tyne : and in Felling Pit, where the roof and floor 

 are in some places crowded for a considerable extent with Sigillaria 

 reniformis, the leaves generally found are Pecopteris and a variety of 

 forms of Neuropteris, the principal of which have been figured in the : 

 *' Fossil Flora,'* under the names of N. Loshi, N, Sorett, N. heterophylla, 

 N. ingens, N. gigantca, and N. acuminata. Hence, if some species of this 

 genus really belonged to Sigillariaj it would appear a matter of some 

 difficulty to say which stood in this relation. I am firmly persuaded, 

 however, if we leave out of view Neuropteris gigantea, we will not be far 

 from the truth, by including the remainder of the above in a single spe- 

 cies, say N. heterophylla. So far, then, the Felling case confirms the 



sionully running out horizontally. The main rachis is somewhat semicircular, 

 and, at the thickest part, is from two to three inches in thickness. Sternberg 

 does not mention any specimens which may be considered Rhizomes occurring 

 with this rachis ; if nothing of the kind has been found, it would appear that N«u- 

 Tixpterii ohovata was an herbaceous Fern. 



