194 NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE COAL FOSSILS. 



to a comparatively limited range. In drawing up the 

 list we beg to acknowledge the labours of Mr. Molyneux, 

 F.G.S., who, in conjunction with the author, has for 

 some years devoted much attention to the organic 

 remains of the North Staffordshire coal measures. 



The various groups of fossils treated of in this 

 paper are included in the following classes, viz., 

 Plantas, Mollusca, Brachiopoda, Lamellibranchiata, Gaste- 

 ropoda, Cephalopoda, Annelida, Crustacea, Pisces, 

 Reptilia. 



PLANTJE. Although well preserved fossil plants are 

 not rare in this coalfield, they have not received that 

 attention which they deserve. This neglect is probably 

 owing to the large size in which many of them occur, 

 which renders them unfit for cabinet specimens. In ad- 

 dition to this, the opportunities of collecting them do not 

 occur so frequently as in other classes of fossils. The 

 largest portion of them can only be obtained during deep 

 cuttings, or in the sinking of new shafts. The perishable 

 nature of the matrix in which they are found, and the 

 difficulty of naming them correctly, are additional reasons 

 why so few have been collected. Of the larger genera 

 of coal plants, such as Sigillaria and Lepidodendron, 

 many of the former have been found in various localities. 

 During the cutting of the Newcastle railway, specimens 

 upwards of three feet in diameter were found in the 

 tunnel. Large examples were also found during the 

 cutting of the Biddulph Valley railway, at Fenton Low. 

 It will be fresh in the recollection of the members, that 

 several fine specimens of this genus were exposed in a 

 marl-pit at Joiner's- square, Hanley, which were seen during 

 a visit made by the club to that place several years ago. 



