FOSSIL PLANTS. 385 



right of precedence, and should be preserved, it having been published, with 

 description, in 1854, in the Journal of the Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist.; and in 1858, 

 in the Report of the Geological Survey of Penna., with figures and description, 

 while Prof. Herr's species was published ten years later. 



NEUROPTERIS VERMICULARIS, Lesqx. 



PI. vii, fig. 1, 2, 3. 



This species, described in the 4th vol. of the Geol. Report of Kentucky, p. 

 434, has not before been figured. The frond is apparently tripinnate, with 

 linear lanceolate somewhat obtuse pinnje, and alternate, oblong very obtuse 

 leaflets, placed ata short distance from each other. They are slightly narrowed 

 in the middle, turned upwards or a little scythe-shaped, and nearly round, and 

 equal at the corners of the base. The terminal leaflet, fig. 3, is oblong obtuse, 

 regularly and equally undulate-lobed on both sides. The nervation is particu- 

 larly distinct, the medial nerve being short and thick, and the veinlets dis- 

 tant, twice forking in curving to the borders, round, deeply marked, easily de- 

 tached from the substance of the leaves, polished and thus appearing like pieces 

 of rain worms. The main rachis is broad, straight, and irregularly striate. 

 The general appearance of this species is like that of the large forms of Neu- 

 roptcris rarinervis, Bunb., but its nervation is far different, the veinlets in this 

 last species being flat, or looking as if formed of two parallel lines. 



Found in the concretions of Mazon creek. 



NEUROPTERIS VERBEN^EFOLIA, Lesqx. 



PL vi, fig. 5 and 6. 



FROND pinnate ; rachis round, slightly and regularly striate; 

 leaves alternate, varying in length from half an inch to four 

 inches and a-half, proportionally broad, ovate lanceolate-obtuse 

 in outline, truncate at the base, regularly serrulate-toothed on 

 the borders, attached to the rachis by a broad pedicel, medial 

 nerve narrow but distinct ; veinlets distinct and distant, thin, 

 moderately arched in ascending to the borders, forking twice, 

 the last divisions descending to the point of the teeth. 



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