CHARA. yk 
large numbers uniformly scattered through the rock-mass, and 
(ii) their occurrence in strata formed in water of considerable 
depth. 
The generic name Cale’sphera was proposed by Williamson’ for 
certain small bodies common in Carboniferous Limestone rocks in 
the neighbourhood of Moel, North Wales; this name is applied to 
the American fossils by Knowlton with the specific designation 
C. Lemont, Knowl. 
From the same geological horizon Dawson? has described what 
he regarded as a foraminiferal species, Saccammina (Calcisphera) 
Eriana, Daws., and these, Brady suggested, probably belong to the 
same group as the forms figured by Knowlton. Dawson’s figures 
are not nearly so suggestive of Chara, as are those of Knowlton. 
Since Dawson named these Devonian fossils, Ulrich,’ in ignorance 
apparently of previous descriptions, instituted a new foraminiferal 
genus, Ioellerina, for their reception. From the Carboniferous 
Limestone of Gloucestershire Wethered‘ has recorded another form, 
which he places in Williamson’s genus Calcisphera, but with the 
belief that it is of a Protozoan nature. Enough has been said to 
show the possibility of our having to go back to Devonian strata 
for the earliest specimens of Chara. Without having seen 
Knowlton’s material, and being aware of the difficulties pointed 
out by experienced specialists, it must be admitted that the figured 
specimens exhibit a very marked resemblance to Characeous fruits : 
the reasons brought forward against accepting this resemblance as 
proof of identity do not appear by any means decisive. The number 
of enveloping cells need not be regarded as fixed and unalterable, 
and a similar occurrence of large numbers of Charas in the rock 
matrix may be noted in the case of the Paris Basin fresh-water 
rocks of Eocene age. In most cases the plants are represented by 
the so-called ‘‘ fruits,” which are simply the oospores enclosed in 
the spirally arranged cells of the envelope, or, not infrequently, 
without the encasing cells. Remains of the vegetative organs are 
rare, and such as have been described in a fossil state are of little 
or no interest from a botanical point of view. 
1 phil. Trans. 1880, p. 521. 
2 Canad. Nat. ns. vol. x. p. 1. 
3 Geol. Mag. 1886, n.s. Dec. 3, vol. iii. p. 374. 
4 Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. xliv. Proce. p. 91. 
