AUTHOR'S PREFACE. 



In this Catalogue I have made an attempt towards a complete 

 summary of what is at present known on the subject of the 

 Glossopteris Flora. It is hoped that reference will here be 

 found to all the more important memoirs which have been 

 published ; a literature now not only large, but widely 

 scattered. I have endeavoured to give some account of the 

 less abundant, and consequently the less known species, in 

 addition to the more characteristic types represented in the 

 British Museum collection, and to revise, so far as possible, 

 the older records in the light of our present knowledge. 

 The task has not proved a light one. In many instances the 

 rarer fossils are unrepresented in any European collection, 

 and I have had to rely solely on the original descriptions 

 and figures, both sometimes very inadequate, which have 

 been published. I trust that, whatever imperfections this 

 volume may be found to contain, it may be of use to 

 those who are interested in the study of this ancient flora, 

 especially to residents in our Greater Colonies of India, 

 Australia, and South Africa, which at one time formed the 

 principal provinces of a great southern continent, Grondwana- 

 land, whose flora is the subject of the present work. 



I have to express my acknowledgments to many friends to 

 whom I have turned for information or advice at different 

 times during the preparation of this volume. To Mr. A. C. 

 Seward, F.R.S., I am especially indebted, not only for the 

 information which he has on all occasions placed at my 

 disposal, but for much kindly sympathy and encouragement. 



