16 



VII. Phytolithus notatus and Dawsoni of Steinhauer 

 appears to belong to the same vegetable. Perhaps the 

 former, Phyt. notatus, bearing longitudinal series of cica- 

 trices of a rounded pentagonal form, with a central marking, 

 and the series separated by very distinct sulci, bears the 

 marks of the epidermal character, whilst the latter, Phyt. 

 Dawsoni) shews the marking of the ligneous part. 



VIII. Phytolithus tesselatus. Surface tesselated with 

 rhomboidal plates, formed by the transverse separations of 

 longitudinal costae ; or of longitudinal sulci, if in the im- 

 pressions of the matrix. 



Although much is still left for investigation respecting 

 these fossils, there is very little doubt that the ingenious 

 observations of Mr. Steinhauer may lead the industrious 

 inquirer to the making of still more definite and important 

 distinctions. These observations may be interesting, not 

 only as yielding collateral evidence of the vegetable origin 

 of coal, but as leading to a probable conjecture of the par- 

 ticular plants which have been the chief source, from which 

 the vast stores of that beneficent provision for man has been 

 derived. These remains, in common with all others when 

 found in slate, are almost always in a flattened state, from 

 which some deception has arisen with respect to their 

 original forms. But the examination of the vegetable fossils 

 contained in the accompanying beds of limestone and sand- 

 stone, where compression has not taken place, yields the 

 important information that these vast substances which have 

 been here found imbedded, and which have been hitherto 

 considered as fossil trees, are the remains of similar vege- 

 tables with those found in the beds of slate, but here 

 existing in their original forms, and agreeing in their size 

 with those succulent plants which are known to be now 

 growing within the tropics. 



Many accounts have been given of the trunks of trees, 

 whose cortical markings were entirely unknown, having 



