114 PP. EEPOKT OF PROGKESS. FONTAINE & WHITE. 



that the union of the leaves has never been observed in this 

 plant, and yet he admits it as a Schizoneura, although vs^ith 

 doubt. 



Among the fruits we find Guilielmites orbicularis, closely 

 allied to the Permian species of Geinitz, Gr. permianus. 



The decadence in the Upper Barrens of certain plants 

 highly characteristic of the Coal Measures proper is an- 

 other feature pointing strongly to their age as Permian. 

 This feature, as is well known, characterizes the Permian 

 of Europe, and is of hardly less value than the identity of 

 species in distinguishing this formation. 



The European Permian, according to Grand 'Eury, pos- 

 sesses the last representatives of Lepldodendron, of 8lgil- 

 laria, and of Calamites ; while it contains many Pecop- 

 terids^ the greater portion of them have become subarbo- 

 rescent. The Alethopter Ids are rare, as are also the Odon- 

 topterids, which have the Mixoneura type of nervation in 

 this formation. The Callipterids now make their first ap- 

 pearance. 



All these conditions are fulfilled, in the most striking 

 manner, in our Upper Barrens. 



Not a single Lepidodendron occurs. Only two species 

 of Sigillaria are found. One of them, S. Brardii, passes 

 up into the Permian, and the other is of the peculiar type 

 of S. Brardii, which is more characteristic of the Permian 

 than of the Carboniferous. Only one Calamite occurs, and 

 this also passes up into the Permian. Of the Alethopterids 

 we get only two species, one, A. Virginiana, more nearly 

 allied to Callipteridium than to the Alethopterids which 

 characterize the Coal Measures proper ; the other, A. gigas, 

 i^a characteristic Permian form. 



Of Odontopteris we find 4 species only, all with Mixo- 

 neura nervation, and one, O. obtusiloba, rather Permian 

 than Carboniferous. 



Nearly all the Pecopterids show the arborescent charac- 

 ter. This is seen in the greater exj)anse of their fronds, 

 and in the considerable size of their stipes, many of which 

 are from four to six inches in diameter. Most of the species, 



