82 



PICTURESQUE SKETCHES 



But although in such distant parts of the world 

 we really have a somewhat similar group of plants 

 to that of the coal-measures, and the dark-tinted 

 ferns do now, as they once did in the northern hemi- 

 sphere, take the place of our cheerful grasses, and even 

 grow in rank luxuriance into forest trees, being as- 

 sociated with palms and some peculiar pines, there 

 is probably after all but little true resemblance; nor 

 can the Geologist feel satisfied that the condition of 

 things was the same formerly in England as it is now 

 in the islands of the southern sea. One of the most 

 remarkable peculiarities of the coal fossils certainly is, 

 however, the singular preponderance of the tribe of 

 ferns already alluded to, and the great variety of form 

 in which plants of this kind are developed. Of these 

 forms, the annexed figures (26, 27) represent two that 



Fig. 26 



Fig. 27 



PECOPTERIS. 



ODONTOPTERIS. 



are common and highly characteristic. They are found 

 sometimes in isolated fragments, in sand or shale, but 

 are sometimes so very abundant, that the whole mass 



