SPHENOPTERIS. 153 



Some of the species mentioned in the above synonymy have 

 teen included on the evidence furnished by Schenk as the result 

 of his examination of the actual specimens. 



As there is no indication of sporangia on any of the specimens 

 of this species in the English collections, I have adopted what may 

 appear to be a somewhat retrograde course in placing Sphenopteris 

 princeps among ferns which cannot safely be assigned to a definite 

 family. The evidence published by Continental authors does not 

 seem to be sufficiently convincing to warrant the inclusion of the 

 Yorkshire plant in the family Osmundaceoe. 



41,397. PI. XVI. Fig. 2. 



This specimen, of which a part is shown in the drawing, agrees 

 Tery closely with Leckenby's type-specimen of Sphenopterit modesta, 

 now in the Leckenby Collection. Compare also Scheuk's * pi. viii. 

 fig. 1 with PI. XVI. Fig. 2 of this Catalogue; the two figures 

 present a very close resemblance, and one can hardly doubt that 

 they represent leaves specifically identical. 



The pinnse are at right angles to the rachis, and the crowded 

 pinnules at right angles to the axis of each pinna. There are some 

 fragments with smaller pinnules on the same piece of shale, which 

 agree with the smaller pinn figured by Schenk. 



Upper Shale, Scarborough. Presented by J. Leckenby, Esq. 



41,397A. The upper portion of a frond, showing that even 

 the smaller apical pinnae are at right angles to the rachis. 



Scarborough. Presented by J. Leckenby, Esq. 



41,397B. A fine specimen showing portions of several fronds, 

 which are arranged on the shale as though converging towards 

 a common stem ; a similar disposition is shown more clearly in 

 some of Schenk's figures of the Rhaetic plant (pi. viii. fig. 1). 

 The smaller segments in this and other specimens are more or 

 less deltoid in shape, with spreading, acutely forked veins. 



Scarborough. Presented by J. Leckenby, Esq. 



Other specimens : V. 3304, V. 3931, 39,259. 



1 Schenk (67). 



