92 FOSSIL PLANTS. 



Remarks. The fern identified as N. attenuate/,, by Boulay (Terr. Houil. de 



Nord. de la France, p. 30), is, according to Zeiller, referable to this species 

 (Bull. Soc. G6ol. France, 3 e ser. vol. xii. p. 197, 1884). 



Neuropteris tenuifolia, Lebour, is also probably Neuropteris rarinervis, but 

 the details of the nervation are not indicated with sufficient clearness in the 

 plate to enable one satisfactorily to settle this point. The general character 

 of the plant, however, points to its being N. rarinervis, Bunbury. 



Neuropteris orientalis, Ludwig, seems very closely related to N. rarinervis, 

 if really distinct. 



Some exquisite specimens of Neuropteris rarinervis, Bunbury, from Rhymney, 

 South Wales, show that Neuropteris coriacea, Lesquereux, and N. Desorii, 

 Lesquereux, are merely different parts of N. rarinervis. Schimper* has 

 thrown out the suggestion that N. coriacea was, perhaps, only an inferior 

 pinna of N. rarinervis, and this, from an examination of the Rhymney 

 examples, is proved to be the case. The figures of N. Desorii, given by 

 Lesquereux in the Coal Flora, do not appear to differ from N. rarinervis 

 and N. coriacea. 



In the figure of N. Desorii (Coal Flora, pi. xiv. fig. 2), there are some 

 portions identical with the figures of N. rarinervis and N. coriacea, and the 

 chief character by which N. Desorii is distinguished from N. rarinervis lies in 

 its more " coriaceous texture, and its surface being opaque not shining," as in 

 N. rarinervis. These differences are evidently due to changes which have 

 taken place during mineralisation. 



In the Rhymney specimens, the largest of which is fourteen inches long and 

 gives off primary pinnae about five inches apart, all the forms of pinnules, 

 which Lesquereux has mentioned as occurring in his N. coriacea and N. 

 Desorii, can be seen. 



The specimen of N. rarinervis from Staffordshire, which is identical in all 

 respects with typical plants of that species, has a much more solid texture 

 than the Rhymney examples ; but these latter have undergone immersion 

 before fossilisation, as shown by numerous small Spirorbis attached to the 

 pinnules. This immersion, though it has not destroyed the form or outline 

 of the pinnules, has apparently produced a more delicate texture than is 

 exhibited by specimens which have been embedded without subjection to the 

 same conditions. 



Horizon. Coal Measures. 



Localities. British. Shropshire : Madeley Court (Presented by H. Pearce, 



Esq.). South Wales : " Big Coal Vein," Rhymney 



(Presented by Coles Child, Esq.). 



Neuropteris gigantea, Sternberg. 

 Neuropteris gigantea. 



Andrae, Neues Jahrbuch, 1864, p. 169. 

 Brongniart, Prodrome, p. 54. 



Hist. d. Veget. Foss. p. 240, pi. Ixix. 



Bronn, Index Palseont. p. 810. 

 Bunbury (var.) Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. ii. p. 86, vol. iii. p. 425, 



vol. xiv. p. 247. 



Dawson, Acadian Geol. 2nd Ed. p. 482, 1868. 

 Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. xxii. p. 155. 

 Canadian Nat. vol. viii. p. 443. 

 Foss. Plants of Lower Garb. Canada, p. 38. 

 Ettingshausen, Steinkf. v. Stradonitz, p. 10. 



Steinkf. v. Radnitz, p. 32. 



Feistmantel, Zeitsch. d. Deut. Geol. Gesell. vol. xxv. pp. 595 and 597. 



Jahrb.d. k. k. Geol. Reichsanst. vol. xxii. pp. 293, 298, and 303. 



* Traitg d. Paleont. Veget. vol. iii. p. 475. 



