1892. | NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 37 
WuttiamsoniA ? Rixsu, n. sp. 
Pie tao 
Organism consisting of a discoid center around and radiating from 
which are numerous petaloid appendages, like the ray florets of a 
composite flower. Disc about 3ginch in diameter. Entire organism, 
including the expanded rays, about 11g inch in diameter. Rays about 7 
inch broad, linear or somewhat tapering to each end, imbricated (? 
striated (?) longitudinally. 
It is with some hesitation that I have placed this organism 
under the genus Williamsonia, but recent discoveries in the 
Cretaceous clays of New Jersey have shown the existence there 
of allied organisms, and its occurrence on Staten Island therefore 
is not surprising. Iam also impelled to find place for it under 
this genus as otherwise anew genus would have to be erected, 
which would be unwise with the meagre and unsatisfactory 
material now in my possession: Without entering into a 
discussion of the probable affinities of Williamsonia it may be 
said that our species is strikingly like some composite flower. 
The perfect preservation of the rays however would indicate 
that they were composed of some material more substantial 
than the ray florets of our living composite. They might 
however have been of a scarious or woody consistency like we 
have in the scales of Gnaaphalium and other similar flowers. 
Another direction in which investigation might be pursued is in 
the study of scaly bracted fruits like those of Liriodendron. We 
know that this tree and others, which are now represented by 
but a single genus or even a single species, were in Cretaceous 
times represented by types as diverse and numerous as the oaks 
of to-day and with flowers or fruit probably equally diverse, so 
that it would not require any great effort of the imagination 
to seein the organism before us a flattened portion of some such 
fruit. Itis also worthy of remark in this connection that the 
rays in our specimen show indications of being imbricated, 
although so poorly preserved that itis not safe to state this with 
certainty. The specimen was found in one of the clay pits 
at Kreischerville, by Mr. Heinrich Ries, after whom it is named. 
The figures represent counter-parts of the same specimen. 
Puynuires PornserrioipEs, n. sp. 
Flaw bert, LO. 
Leaf unsymmetrical, broad at top and tapering to the base. Apex 
blunt. Margin extending into two incurved teeth or lobes at the upper 
part, about equal with the apex, thus giving the leaf a somewhat kite- 
