Mlsccllaiieous, 223 



part of this carbonaceous mass alternated with fine grey sand- 

 stone, which filled the remainder of the trunk as far as seen. The 

 author remarked that this tree, like other erect Sigillarioe in this 

 section, became hollow by decay, after having been more or less 

 buried in sediment ; but that, unlike most others, it remained 

 hollow for some time in the soil of a forest, receiving small 

 quantities of earthy and vegetable matter, falling into it, or wash- 

 ed in by raius. In this state it was probably a place of residence 

 for the snails and myriapods and a trap and tomb for the reptiles ; 

 though the presence of coprolitic matter would seem to show that 

 in some instances at least the latter could exist for a time in their 

 underground prison. The occurrence of so many skeletons, with 

 a hundred or more specimens of land-snails and myriapods, in a 

 cylinder only 15 inches in diameter, proves that these creatures 

 were by no means rare in the coal-forests ; and the conditions of 

 the tree with its air-breathing inhabitants imply that the Sigilla- 

 rian forests w^ere not so low and wet as we are apt to imagine. 



The little land shell, specimens of which with the mouth entire 

 have now occurred to the author, is named by him Pupa vetusta. 

 Dr. Dawson has found entire shells of Physa Jieterostroplia in the 

 stomach of Menobranchus lateralis^ and hence he supposes that 

 the PupcB may have been the food of the little reptiles the remains 

 of which are associated with them. 



Two examples of Spirorhis carhonarius also occurred ; these 

 may have been drifted into the hollow trunk whilst they were 

 adherent to vegetable fragments. The Myriapod is named Xylo- 

 hius Sigillarice^ and regarded as being allied to lulns. 



The reptilian bones, scutes, and teeth referable to Dendrerpeton 

 Acadianum bear out the supposition of its Labyrinthodont afiini- 

 ties. Those of the new genus, Hylonomus, established by Dr. 

 Dawson on the other reptilian remains, indicate a type remote 

 from Archegosaurus and LahyrintJiodon^ but in many respects 

 approaching the Lacertians. The three species determined by the 

 author are named by him H. Lyelliij H. aciedentatus, and PC. 

 Wymani. 



Distribution of Forests in North America. — (The subject ot 

 geographical botany is now exciting much attention, and very 

 deservedly, for independently of its interest in itself, it is capable 

 of throwing much light on the vexed questions of the nature and 



