128 DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE 



How far these are natural and how far petrifact, the sections do 

 not afford data to determine. Outside the sclerised /.one of the 

 testa is a layer of 4 or 5 cells, roundish and not very thick- 

 walled, which resembles the texture of the scales ; within the 

 stone-layer also are a few cells of rather thinner- walled tissue. 

 The general plan of these structures may bo compared with the 

 testa of P. Strobus given in Tubeuf, 1892, fig. 1, though the 

 detailed proportions of the cells differ. 



AFFINITIES. When first described by Mantell, the specimen 

 was known only from its exterior, and was placed in the recent 

 genus Zamia. A model of it was submitted to Ad. Brongniarr, 

 who wrote to Mantell concerning it: " Lo modele en platre du 

 cone que vous m'avez envoy e est assez difficile a juger sans avoir 

 vu rechantillon lui-meme, efc par consequent mon opinion ne 

 peut etre que fort hasarde, mais je serai plutot porte a pp.nser 

 que c'est une jeune tige de Cycadee qu'un fruit de coniforo. 

 Ce pourrait aussi etre un fruit de Zamia ; mais 1'examen de 

 1'echantillon en nature, et surtout sa coupe transversale, serait 

 necessaire pour avoir une opinion positive." 



Mantell says (p. 52): "But although at first sight this fossil, 

 as M. Brongniart remarks, might be taken for the stem of a 

 young Cyeadeous plant, the situation and small si/.e of the 

 stalk at the base, and the appearance of the scales seem to 

 warrant the conclusion that it is the fruit of a Zamia" 



Carruthers (1866 B, p. 541) puts tho cone in the genus Piuitcs, 

 and says (p. 542) : " The fossil certainly belongs to the Finns 

 division of the genus, and is near to Pinus Strobus, L." 



The further details now afforded by the sections of the 

 tissues do not invalidate the opinion formed so long ago by 

 Carruthers. There is no doubt that the cone belonged to 

 a Finns, so similar to living members of the genus that one 

 might almost be justified in using the generic name of the 

 living forms for it. 



As the ripe cone of a large woody species is difficult to cut 

 into thin microscope-sections, the details of the anatomy of such 

 tissues have been but little studied. As a consequence, the 

 rather curious position arises that the botanist can see the 

 details of the scales and their vascular anatomy more easily in 

 the fossil than in the recent cones. 



The external appearance, so far as it is preserved, is very 



