40 GLOSSOPTEKIS. 



of such characters, on which stress has heen laid hy Feistmantel 

 and other authors, is extremely doubtful. 



Attention has been called to specimens of several different types, 

 which have been believed to indicate the position of sori. Carruthers ' 

 stated that, on some fronds from Queensland, there were indications 

 of " linear sori running along the veins." It is hardly conceivable, 

 however, that if such sori existed they would not have been 

 recognised long ago in some of the beautifully preserved specimens 

 which have been examined. 



There also appears to be no real evidence for the view expressed 

 by Feistmantel, 2 on very untrustworthy grounds, that a marginal 

 fructification occurs in the case of Glossopteris angustifolia. 



Numerous examples of the larger fronds have been figured in 

 which circular or oval spots, patches, or holes in the lamina have been 

 found, arranged in a manner more or less parallel with the midrib. 

 These have been interpreted as probably indicating the position of 

 sori by Brongniart, 3 Bunbury, 4 Feistmantel, 5 David, 6 Mitchell, 7 

 and Zeiller. 8 Mr. Seward 9 has re-examined Bunbury's specimens, 

 and described specimens similar to those figured by Zeiller, and 

 has expressed himself as very doubtful whether any reliable con- 

 clusions can be drawn from such imperfect evidence. In the light 

 of a recent discovery, there is now a strong presumption that the 

 great majority of the larger fronds of Glos.sopteris, such as have 

 been figured by these authors, were sterile, and not fertile fronds. 



A full account of the discovery alluded to has been recently 

 published elsewhere, 1 " but a brief description of the sporangium-like 

 organs of Glossopteris may be included here. 



During the examination of the British Museum collection in the 

 prepai'ation of this catalogue, a few specimens from New South 

 Wales were found, showing excellent examples of the scale-fronds 



1 Carruthers (72), p. 354. 



2 Feistmantel (80), p. 106, pi. xxxi'xa, figs. 1, la, 2. 



3 Brongniart (28 2 ), p. 224, pi. lxii, fig. 2. 



4 Bunbury (61), p. 327, pi. viii, fig-. 1. 



5 Feistmantel (80), pp. 97-8, 101, pi. xxyja, figs. 1-4 ; pi. xxviiA, figs. 1, 2, 5 ; 

 and (82 l ), p. 32, pi. xxi, figs. 13-14. 



6 David (91), pp. 424-5. ' Mitchell (93), p. 377 and fig. 

 8 Zeiller (96 1 ), p. 369, pi. xviii, figs. 3, 3'. 



» Seward (97 1 ), p. 320, pi. xxi, fig. 1 ; (97 2 ), p. 180. 10 Arber (05). 



