[MATTHEW] FLORA OF THE LITTLE RIVER GROUP NO. III 7 
Such is the nature of the Devonian Flora of North Eastern America 
as developed by Sir William Dawson and later investigators. Was 
there a flora anterior to this and how did it stand out from the Devonian 
on one hand and the Carboniferous on the other? What are the genera 
and species that mark it as distinct from these two? From the former it 
is easily distinguished, but to the latter it has many points of similarity. 
The general facies of the Silurian Flora of the Little River group, 
is so like that of the Carboniferous, that it might very readily be thought 
to be the same, if the stratigraphy did not preclude such a possibility; 
the geological structure clearly shows that the Devonian Flora stands 
between. 
Still it may be well to note that there are a number of genera known 
that give a special facies to the Silurian Flora. One may refer particu- 
larly to the genera Pseudobaiera (described in the sequel) Ramica- 
lamus, Lepidocalamus and Ginkgophyton are specially characteristic of 
the lower portion of the Little River Group, (though the second genus 
has also a wider range in that group). 
The middle portionexhibits genera that morenearly compare tothose 
of the Carboniferous system, as Aneimites or Triphyllopteris, Sphenop- 
teris, Neuropteris, Pecopteris and Johannophyton (with the vegetative 
foliage of Alethopteris). Although there are forms that have been re- 
ferred to Psilophyton, these differ much from the typical species of this 
genus that are found in the Devonian; one is a small tufted form, 
differing considerably in the fruiting branches from the Gaspé types, 
and the other, the author of the species referred only with doubt to this 
genus. 
The filicoid form which Sir William referred to Alethopteris, is 
thought by the present author to be a Pteridosperm of which the fruit 
bracts, and are freely scattered over certain layers of the shales. Wheth- 
er the objects in this flora described as Whittleseya, are fruiting 
parts of Pteridosperms, only closer investigation of the flora can de- 
termine, but it seems probable that other Pteridosperms besides those 
already observed, find a place here. 
The genus Megalopteris Dawson, is one which so far as we know, 
had its birth in this flora. In some southern habitat, it may have tided 
over the trying time of the Devonian Age, ready to appear in the lower 
Coal Measures of the great central plain of North America in the Missis- 
sippi valley, when the time of strain had passed by, and the 
warm and humid atmosphere of the southern latitudes came back to 
North Eastern North America. That this was its history, seems prob- 
able from the fact that the next oldest species of this genus known are 
found in the lower Coal measures of the Mississippi Valley, whence the 
genus may have found its way to Pennsylvania. 
