COAL ROCKS OF EASTERN VIRGINIA. 311 



nearly or quite straight, and have an ovate termination. Among 

 all the species of Pecopteris described and figured by Sternberg, 

 Brongniart, and Lindley and Hutton, the P. Munsteriana is that 

 with which our fossil most nearly coiTesponds. In the shape of 

 the leaf, and its mode of attachment to the rachis, and in the pe- 

 culiar plan of nervation, as shown in Sternberg's drawing of 

 P. Munsteriana, the agreement is perhaps as close as could be ex- 

 pected, even in two specimens of the same species. The only 

 point of difference between them, appears to be the greater size 

 of the pinnules in the Virginia fossil. As, however, the dispar- 

 ity is not very great, and the smaller pinnules on the Virginia 

 specimens are quite as large as the larger ones in Sternberg's fig- 

 ure, the inequality may probably be explained by difference of 

 age or of position on the leaf. 



According to Sternberg, the P. Munsteriana occurs at Bullen- 

 reit, near Baruth, in strata, referred to the Lias. 



Pecopteris. 



This specimen consists of several incomplete pinna, evidently 

 appertaining to a large Pecopteris, of a different species from 

 either of the preceding. The pinnce are sti-aight, regularly taper- 

 ing towards the extremity, nearly at right angles to the main 

 stem, and closely crowded together. The pinnules arranged 

 alternately on the opposite sides of the midrib, are nearly per- 

 pendicular to it, and are attached by the entire base, but quite 

 separated one from another, having no connecting wing. The 

 pinnules, near the base of the pinncs, preserve a nearly uniform 

 breadth, from the attachment to near the extremity, and are then 

 very bluntly rounded off". Those more towards the end of the 

 pinnce are slightly tapering, curve a little upwards, and terminate 

 acutely. A strong ridge marks the position of the middle nerve. 

 Each pinnule is crowded with the impression of So?-i, forming 

 a row of dots, or of depressions, from six to twelve in number, 

 on each side of the middle nerve ; but in no part of the specimen 

 can the nervures be distinctly traced. Of the various species 

 figured, that which seems most nearly to approach our fossil is 



