142 RUFFORDIA GOPPERTI. 



pinnse have a more or less deltoid form, with the details 

 distinctly marked as light brown impressions on a homo- 

 geneous ironstone. 



Found at Ecclesbourne. Ruford Coll." 



In Plate XXI. "is reproduced one of the most perfect 

 specimens of R. Gopperti" representing " the form of 

 frond which is characterized by fine and narrow ultimate 

 segments," it is " an example of a fern much more 

 perfectly preserved than is usual among the fossil repre- 

 sentatives of the Filices." 



"The adoption of the name Ruffordia is to place on 

 record the enthusiasm and careful work of Mr. Ruiford, 

 to whose labours we are indebted for the material on 

 which the genus has been founded." 



" The plants included under Ruffordia 'are all referred 

 to one species, some of the specimens being placed in a 

 variety to denote a marked difference in size of the 

 ultimate segments of the sterile fronds. 



" The genus is characterized by a distinct contrast 

 between barren and fertile pinnse, by the resemblance of 

 the pinnules to those of Anemia adiantifolia, Sw., and by 

 the correspondence in habit of sterile and fertile pinnae to 

 that species. 



"Ruffordia is placed in the SchizactM, but, in the 

 absence of very satisfactory proof, with the addition of a 

 query expressive of the imperfect evidence." 



Extracts from "Catalogue of the Mesozoic Plants in the 

 department of Geology, British Museum (Natural 

 History), by A. C. Seward, M.A., F.R.S., F.G.S. 

 Part 1, 1894. 



