10 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [^^l. X. 



timetres in length. This fern is referred by Lesquereux to my 

 genus Archceoj^teris ; but as its fructification is not known, and 

 as this forms the most distinctive character of Archoeopteris^ I 

 think it better to leave the species in the provisional genus 

 Cyclopteris. 



Oue of my plants from the Devonian of St. John is referred 

 to Lesquereux's species C. obtusa. The identification was 

 made on the evidence of the figure and description in Rogers' 

 Report on Pennsylvania, which refer to a much smaller fern 

 than the present species, with the pinnules somewhat different 

 in form and attachment. As Lesquereux, however, applies 

 his name to the large species now under consideration, which is 

 certainly distinct from the St. John fern, I must withdraw the 

 name from the latter. In doing so, I may take advantage of a 

 suggestion made by Schimper, who thinks that the St. John 

 species might be placed in the genus Aneimites. It may accord- 

 ingly be renamed Aneimites obtusa, which will at least prevent 

 confusion. 



CycloiJteris Broionii, Dawson. 



(Report on Fossil plants of Devonian and Upper Silurian, p. 48, 

 fig. 172, Journal of Geological Society of London, vols, xvii 

 and xix. — Figures and description.) 



This beautiful fern was previously known only from Perry in 

 Maine, where it occurs only rarely and in detached leaves. Mr. 

 Foord's specimens shew its habit of growth in dense clusters 

 of fronds attached to what appears to be a creeping rhizome with 

 slender rootlets. It has evidently been a low-growing species, 

 its flabellate leaves attached by somewhat broad bases to a root- 

 stock probably prostrate. Unfortunately no fructification appears, 

 so that the plant cannot be compared with modern species 

 having the same habit of growth. I may state, however, that the 

 veinlets widen and become more dense in approaching the outer 

 margin of the frond in a manner which seems to indicate that 

 the fructification was marginal, in the manner of the Pteridece. 



It seems probable that the fern from the Upper Devonian of 

 Pennsylvania figured by Lesquereux in Fig. VII, p. 50 of the 

 Coal Plants of N. America is identical with this species. He 

 refers it to Rliacop)hijllum of Schimper, with the specific name 

 R. truncatiwi, which will, in this case, be a synonym of C. 

 Broivnii. The genus RJiacophijUuin is very loosely defined by 



