449 



A curious fossil, wliicli lie has evcrj' reason to believe is original, 

 was discovered by the author among the debris of the ([imrry. It 

 somewhat resembles a piece of tartan, being divided into regular 

 parallelograms, by tlouble lines intersecting each other at right angles. 

 He submitted it to the inspection of the Rev. D. Laudsborough, and 

 to other gentlemen in the neighbourhood, who all declared that it wa.s 

 new to them. He also shewed it to the manager of the works, and 

 to some of the most intelligent of the overseers and colliers, and they 

 all said that they liad not before met with it ; he therefore ventures 

 to think it uniiiue. Ish Laudsborough, after minute examination, 

 bestowed upon it the name of Dictyodendron Patricii, deriving the 

 generic name from Suctvov, a net, from its close resemblance to net^ 

 work, and SevSpov, a tree ; and dedicating it, by the specific name, to 

 the author, as its discoverer. 



The Stigmariffi, which may be said to be peculiar to, and the dis- 

 tinguishing feature of, the coal-measures, occur plentifully. Among 

 these will be found Stijmaria ficoides, S. rwliuta, and Stii/mimu. 

 Brongniart conies to the conclusion that the Stiijmarla and Si</illan'a 

 constitute a peculiar and extiuct family (belonging probably to the 

 gymnospermous division of the Dicotyledons), but of which neither 

 the fmit nor the leaves are as yet known, and adds, that probably 

 Slii/iiuiria is only the root of Sigillnria. 



The Trigunocurpmn olivce/ormce (or fruit of the palm) is very 

 scarce, being found only in one portion of the quarry, of very small 

 extent, in the lowest stratum, next to the shale. 



Another fossil met with, but rare, in that district at least, is Ha- 

 loniu tnhcreulafa. A very fine specimen was obtained some time 

 ago, adhering to the surface of the upper stratum of sandstone. 



Of the Lepidodendra there are several species ; among them 

 Li'pidddeiidron Sfernbeiyii and L. Harcourtii, and a peculiar and 

 rare variety, with whose specific name the author is unacquainted. 



Euditgeniti'x striata is also met with. 



A very remarkable fossil was discovered in 1842, by the Eev. D. 

 Laudsborough, which there is every reason to consider as unique. He 

 says, that only a very few specimens exist, and tliat, to the best of his 

 belief, it has not been found elsewhere. He submitted it to the Philo- 

 sophical Society of Glasgow, who report, that " the exposed surface 

 presents a most singular appearance, and isunlike any fossil plant which 

 we have ever seen figured. Its jieculiar appearance is its resemblance 

 to part of a common osier basket Hence, Mr L. used humorously to 

 designate it ' ^Noah's creel,' for want of a better name. To supply this 



