DISTRICT OF CAT-E RRKTON COUNTY. 





the leaves and other more delicate parts of plants ; and on thisaeoonnl 

 I give here sketches of a few examples of the foliage of the Coal forma- 

 tion period, as displayed in the rocks of Nova Scotia and Cape Breton 

 (Fig. 156). On the mode of occurrenco of such leaves, Mr Brown 



it in. irks : — 



"The shales are the most prolific in plants, especially those which 

 form the roofs of the coal-scams. It is singular that not even a fan 



Fig. 156.— Foliage from the Coal formation. 



a b c d e f g. 



(a) Alethopteris lieternphylla (fern)— Moose River. (6) Sphenopliyllum Sclilotheimii- Ptetoo 

 (c) Lepidodendron binerve— Sydney, (d) Asterophyllitea foliosa— Sydney, (e) Cordaitaa 

 borassifolia— Jogging. (/) Neuropteris rarinervis (tern)— Sydney, (g) Odontoptexil snh- 

 cuneata (fern) — Sydney. 



of a fossil plant nor any organic substance has been found in any of 

 the red shales, although they have been carefully examined for thai 

 purpose.* Wherever erect trees occur, ferns, Asterophyllitea, Spheno- 

 phylla, and other delicate leaves, are found in the greatest abundance ; 

 from which I infer that they fell from growing trees and shrubs, 

 having been covered up by successive layers of fine mud, deposited 

 at frequent intervals over a low marshy district. In these Iocaliti 

 single fronds of ferns are sometimes found covering a slab of shale 

 two feet square, as sharp and distinct in their outline as if they had 

 been gathered only yesterday from a recent tern, and Bpread out with 

 the greatest possible care, not a single lcailet being wanting or even 



v Tliis does not apply to the Coal formation of PiotOO, where ferns, Cordaitaa, ami 

 Bphenophyllum arc found in red shales, though rarely. 



2 i- 



