sulphide) and galenite (lead sulphide) can be observed un- 
der magnification of six to ten times. I first interpreted 
the brown color of the spores to be due to siderite, but 
upon the application of dilute hydrochloric acid (10%) 
they lost their muddy appearance and became ‘‘resin- 
ous.”’’ The brown color was due to a coalified residue. 
Three spores were isolated from a sporangium by 
maceration with 25% hydrochloric acid. ‘These were 
washed with distilled water, and subsequently bathed in 
absolute alcohol and permitted to dry on a glass slide. 
The air-dried spores were placed between two glass cover 
slips, and gently heated over the flame of an alcohol 
lamp. They volatilized quickly and left a negligible a- 
mount of white ash upon the slide. 
From these observations it is believed that such min- 
eral substances as were present — if the crystals were 
formed congenerically with the petrifaction—may have 
acted as preservatives against bacterial decay. It is also 
probable that the volatile, but resistant, resinous sub- 
stances in the megaspores may have permitted almost 
perfect fossilization. 
The fossil was smoothed slightly by scraping off the 
rough elevations on the strobilus by means of a dull scal- 
pel. Serial nitrocellulose peels (1) were prepared at in- 
tervals as close as possible; i.e. 0.1 mm. for the first ten 
peels, and approximately 0.15 mm. for the next twenty- 
two peels. Eight peels were made from the counterpart 
at intervals of about 0.15 mm. The peels were mounted 
in ‘‘damar’’ in xylol. 
Minute anatomy of the spores. 
The average dimensions based upon ten spores cut 
longitudinally in a median plane are: 
Total diameter including equatorial flange 750 micra 
Diameter excluding equatorial flange 620 micra 
Length of spore 420 micra 
[ 118 ] 
