544 Chronicles of Science. [Oct., 



In the latter part of 1867, Mr. W. HelUer Baily (Paleontolo- 

 gist to H. M. Geological Survey of Ireland) published Part I. of 

 * Figures and Descriptions of Characteristic British Fossils ' (Van 

 Voorst). We are glad to notice the publication of Part II. with 

 Plates 11-20 (Lower and Upper Silurian). This publication is 

 not intended in any way to interfere with * Morris's Catalogue of 

 British Fossils ' (the third edition of which is very much needed by 

 all palaeontologists). Mr. Baily 's aim has rather been to assist 

 geological students, and others who, from their limited knowledge 

 of palaeontology, require to have figures of the various fossils placed 

 before them, as well as their names and references, in order to enable 

 them to identify their specimens. Those who have the good fortune 

 to possess a scientific reference hbrary, or who can use that of some 

 public institution, can hardly understand the assistance which such 

 a work as this afibrds to others who, from their isolated position, 

 are denied these advantages. 



We hope Mr. Baily may soon be able to complete the publi- 

 cation of his ' Figures and Descriptions of British Fossils,' that 

 we may enjoy the use of it, as a ivJioIe, before many years have 

 passed away. 



The * Geological Magazine ' contains various articles of interest. 

 The following chiefly deserve notice : — 



1. A full report (with illustrations) of Mr. W. Carruthers's 

 lecture, at the Koyal Institution, on " The Cryptogamic Forests 

 of the Coal Period." Mr. Carruthers points out that the Flora of 

 the Coal Period all belonged to the Vascular Cryptogams, and 

 represent— (a) the Ferns; (h) the Horse-tails, Equisetaeem ; (c) the 

 Club-mosses (Lycopodiacse). After describing the modern repre- 

 sentatives of these three types, the author proceeds to point out 

 that in the Coal Period, (a) Ferns were most abundant, mostly, 

 however, humble herbaceous forms, very few attaining the size of 

 modern tree-ferns ; their leaf-forms being nearly all comparable 

 with living species, (h) The Equisetacex were well represented in 

 the Coal Period, but instead of being dwarf marsh-plants, they 

 attained often a very large size. He described the stems, the 

 various forms of foliage and fructification belonging to this group, 

 and pointed out their afiinity to the modern Horse-tail (Equise- 

 tum). (c) He next considered the fruit and stem of Leindodendron, 

 contrastmg those giant trees with the modern Club-mosses, and 

 showed that in that point most relied on by Botanists — the spores 

 — there was a close agreement. He spoke of SigUIaria, another 

 arborescent form, also a member of the same family as Lepido- 

 dendron. These are the plants to which we are indebted for our 

 stores of mineral fuel. They grew in extensive level plains, their 

 fleshy roots penetrating the soft mud which formed the surface-soil, 

 or the spongy layer of vegetable matter which covered it. The 



