EXPLANATION OF JOGGINS SECTION. 189 



formed dense groves in the swamps of the Coal period. They have 

 nothing closely analogous to them among living plants. There were 

 a number of species of Siffillaria, differing somewhat in their ribs and 

 leaf-scars, and probably also in their leaves. Lepidophloios or Uloclen- 

 dron, a phmt whose remains occur with the iSi(/illaria, was allied to 

 the Lepidodendron, but wanted its slender graceful branches, while it 

 had rows of stiff cones planted on the sides of its trunk : and its 

 general aspect, when clothed with its long leaves, somewhat broader 

 than tliose of Lepidodendron, must have much resembled that of the 

 Sigtllaria. Lepidophjlla were the leaves of Ulodendron or Lepido- 

 dendron. 



We have also met with the Cordaites^ long striated leaves resembling 

 those of gigantic plants of Iris or Indian corn, and sometimes five or 

 six hiclies in breadth, and half as many feet in length. They grew 

 on thick stems under and around the sigiUarian woods though some- 

 times probably covering great tracts without any admixture of other 

 plants. We have also observed an erect coniferous tree, and erect 

 Calamites, but shall reserve our notice of these for better instances 

 farther on. Lastly, fronds of Ferns appear in some of the beds ; and I 

 may state here that they are much less abundant relatively to the 

 other plants at the Joggins than elsewhere in the Coal-fields of Nova 

 Scotia and Cape Breton, 



Subdivision XV. is one of the most interesting in the section, in 

 consequence of the discovery in it, in 1852, by Sir Charles Lyell and 

 the writer, of the bones of a reptile, Dendrerpeton Acadianum (Fig. 

 32), those of another small reptile, and the shell of a land snail [Pupa 



Fig. 32. — Jaio of Dendrerpeton Acadianum. 



{(t) Cross section of Tooth (magnified). 



velusta) (Fig. 33).* These remains are of great interest, as they were 

 the first reptilian animals found fossil in the Carboniferous rocks of 

 America, and the only land snail whose remains had ever been found 

 ill rocks of that age; in fact, the first evidence obtained of the 



* The figures given here represent two of the original spieinien.s found in 18.52. 

 Better specimens are figured further on. 



