No. 1.] J.W.DAWSON — PAL^ONTOLOGICAL NOTES. 9 



Fertile pinnae with about twelve pinnules, each having a long 

 midrib with about 7 pairs of crowded oblong spore-cases about 

 3 millimetres in length, pointed or somewhat obtuse at top, 

 straight at the sides and apparently dehiscent at the apex. The 

 midrib projects some distance beyond the spore-cases, 



This species differs from A. Jacksoni, Dn., in the arrange- 

 ment of the spore-cases, which are also larger and more oblong, 

 and the barren pinnules are broader. It differs from A. Hiher- 

 niciis, Brongt., in the arrangement and form of the spore-cases and 

 in its shorter pinnge, with fewer and less obtuse pinnules. It 

 differs from A. minor, Lesquereux, in the arrangement of the 

 spore-cases, which in the latter are in groups of three and of 

 larger size, while the barren pinnules are much narrower. The 

 present species resembles A. Maccoyana, Goeppert, in the form 

 of the pinnules, but the fructification of the latter species is not 

 known, and it may be merely a varietal form of A. Hihernicus. 

 The present species is no doubt that referred to in my report on 

 the Devonian plants of Canada as found in the Gaspe sandstone,* 

 but the fragments known at that time did not enable me to 

 separate it from A. Jacksoni. It is for this reason, as well as 

 because tlie beds in which it occurs at Bay de Chaleur repre- 

 sent the upper part of Logan's Gaspe sandstones, that I have 

 given it the name Gaspiensis. 



Ferns of this type are characteristic of the Upper Erian on 

 both sides of the Atlantic, and do not occur in the Carboniferous 

 proper; though forms resembling them occur in the lowest Car- 

 boniferous beds. 



2. Ci/clo2Jteris ohfusa, Lesquereux. 



I refer to this species a large and beautiful fern, which is ob- 

 viously identical with that from the Cattskill of Montrose, Penn- 

 sylvania, figured by Lesquereux in the " Coal Plants of North 

 America" (Report of Pennsylvania Survey), pi. 49, fig. 7, and 

 of which I have a specimen in my own collection from the same 

 formation at Franklin, New York. 



This species is characterised by very large obovate leaflets 

 decurrent by a loog narrow base upon the petiole. Whether it 

 was a pinnate or bipinnate frond does not appear. The veins are 

 fine, curved and several times forked. The terminal leaflet is 

 cuneate and emarginate. Some of the large pinnules are 6 cen- 



* Page 487. 



