ROOM I. 



STIG MARIA. 



important that the habitat of this fossil should be ascertained, 

 and its geological age determined. 



STIGMARIA. Cases E, F. On the upper shelves of 

 these ' cases are deposited numerous specimens of certain 

 fossil vegetables which are abundant in most coal fields, 

 and are commonly known as Spotted-stems, or Stigmarise. 

 These bodies, when uncompressed, are of a cylindrical form, 

 from one to six or seven inches in diameter, and of great 

 length sometimes twenty or thirty feet gradually lessening, 

 and dividing and subdividing, as they extend. The surface 

 is marked with distinct pits or areolse, which are either oval 



LlGN. 9. SriGMARIA FtCOIDES. COAL DEPOSITS. 



Fig. 1. Portion of a root. (\ nat. size.) The internal axis is seen at a. 



2. One of the rootlets, with a tubercle, to show the mode of articulation. 



or circular, with a slight elevation or tubercle in the centre of 

 each ; they are disposed around the stem in a quincunx order 

 somewhat regularly. When these fossils are observed in situ, 

 or are compressed and imbedded in shale or stone, as in some 

 of the specimens in Case F, long, tapering, subcylindrical 

 fibres, are seen to proceed from the pits or depressions with 

 which the surface is studded, each being attached by its base 

 to the tubercle or eminence in the centre of the areola. When 



