ADDENDA TO VOL. I. 229 



specimen, but it is difficult to understand on what grounds it can 

 be separated from such a form as 0. Mmtelli. 



8. Ifantelli neojurassica, p. 21, pi. vii. etc. 



S. (Davallia} Mantelli, Brong., p. 72, pis. xv. and xviii. 



After referring to the wide range and distribution of this fern, 

 Saporta describes specimens of fertile fronds, which he compares 

 with those of the recent species Davallia gibberosa, Sw., and 

 D. concinna, Schrad. The agreement of the fossil and recent 

 specimens, leads the author to refer the Wealden fern to the genus 

 Davallia, or at least to a sub-genus of the Davallieee. The figured 

 examples of fertile pinme are less perfect than those which I 

 have described in Volume I. (p. 50, PI. III. Figs. 2-4) ; and the 

 comparison made by Yokoyama in the case of Onychiopsis elongata, 

 and by myself as regards 0. Mantelli, with the recent genus 

 0/iycliium, is, I believe, a much nearer approach to the truth than 

 if we adopt the conclusions of Saporta. 



The following are a few of the numerous instances in which mere 

 fragments are referred to specific types, or on which new species 

 are founded : Sphenopteris trifida, Sap., p. 26, pi. x. fig. 20 ; 

 S. pedicellata, Sap., p. 26, pi. x. fig. 21 ; S. minima, Sap., p. 26, 

 pi. xiv. fig. 16; S. trapezoidea, Sap., p. 27, pi. xi. fig. la; 

 S. acutidens, Sap., p. 27, pi. x. fig. 14; Cladophlebis minor, 

 Sap., p. 30, pi. iv. fig. 14; C. obtmilola, Sap., p. 30, pi. xiv. 

 fig. 15. To carry the niceties of determination so far, and to 

 institute new species on almost microscopic fragments of pinna? 

 or pinnules, is, I venture to think, a retrograde rather than a 

 progressive method in pala?obotany. A large number of other 

 cases might be cited illustrating this method of determination, 

 but the above may serve as examples of this dangerous practice. 

 The specimens named S. microclada, Sap., p. 23, pi. vi., may 

 be compared with S. Fontainei, Sew., and those described as 

 Scleropteris sinuata, Sap. (p. 45, pis. vii. and viii.), with Spheno- 

 pteris Fittoni, Sew. 



Any traces of angiospermous plants in strata of Jurassic age 

 .are of special interest. Saporta, in speaking of fossil angiosperms, 

 writes : " En depit du nornbre restreint des especes et de 1' extreme 

 rarete des echantillons, la presence de vegetaux angiospermiques 

 dans la flore portugaise neo-jurassique est cependant certaine. 



11 i 



Saporta, loc. cit. p. 56. 



