48 ONYCHIOPSIS. 
of name, I found that Yokoyama! had figured and described the 
same kind of fertile pinne in a Japanese ‘‘ Jurassic” fern very 
closely allied to the European Onychiopsis Mantelli; but in his 
description of the Japanese species, Onychiopsis elongata (Geyl.), 
there is no reference made to Brongniart’s species. He compares 
his fertile specimens to the same recent genera already referred to, 
Onychium, Kaulf., and Cryptogramme, R. Br., and on the strength 
of the strong likeness to the former he founds his new genus, 
Onychiopsis. There is such an exceedingly intimate connection 
between Yokoyama’s species and our English specimens, that I 
have no hesitation in following the suggestion previously made 
by Nathorst, and altering the well-known Sphenopteris Mantelli, 
Brong., to Onychiopteris Mantelli (Brong.), thus substituting for a 
provisional generic name one which recognizes the botanic affinity 
of the Wealden species. 
V-2168 Pll) Fig. 
A very fine specimen, and much larger than any hitherto figured 
of this species. It shows very clearly the general habit of the 
tripinnate frond, but the details are not clearly defined. Length of 
frond 18 cm., breadth about 12 em. The resemblance of some parts 
of this specimen to Heer’s figures of Sphenopteris valdensis has 
already been alluded to; there is also a distinct agreement between 
the pinnee and the fragment figured by Tate from South Africa as 
S. antipodum. Ecclesbourne. Rufford Coll. 
Ve 2lola. Pitt eis. 1 
In this specimen we have an exceedingly delicate (?) frond 
which, on a smaller scale, repeats the characters of the species as 
represented in V. 2168, Pl. II. Fig. 1. The marked difference in 
size led me to consider the advisability of instituting a variety, 
O. Mantelli, var. minor, but such a course would merely serve to 
multiply terms, and would not be supported by any characters 
of trustworthy value as regards natural affinity. A difference in 
size, although strongly marked, is not a character to be lightly 
insisted on as a basis for a species or variety when we are dealing 
with fragments of fossil plants. Ecclesbourne. Rufford Coll. 
1 Journ. Coll. Sci. Japan, vol. iii. 1890, p. 26, pl. ii. figs. 1-3. 
