

304 Mr. It. Kidston on the Affinities of the 



specimen, and was also collected by Mr. Bennie from the 

 alciferous Sandstones at Fell's Pit, near the north-west corner 

 of Briestonhill Moss, about three quarters of a mile north of 

 West Calder. 



The cast and impression of this specimen have also been 

 secured. The fossil measures nearly four inches in length ; 

 but the spike is very imperfect, and only shows the lowest 

 and a very small fragment of the second segment, which 

 together occupy an inch. 



The cast only shows the lowest segment, whose external 

 surface is unfortunately very indifferently preserved ; but it 

 still retains a considerable amount of rotundity. 



Notwithstanding the unsatisfactory state of its preserva- 



tion, there are distinct indications of the quadrate bodies. 

 These can be most easily examined by making a wax cast of 

 the impression of the spike. 



The lowest segment is nine tenths of an inch long ; the sides 

 are straight ; the breadth, which is equal throughout, is three 

 tenths of an inch. 



The little branch to which the fruit is attached is two inches 

 and three quarters long, very slender, and shows three swollen 

 nodes ; this in turn springs from a stouter stem, one inch and 

 three quarters long, which is faintly striated longitudinally 

 and also shows two nodes, from the lower of which the fruiting- 

 branch springs. 



On the same slab is the impression of another noded stem 

 (not shown in the figure), whose length is one inch and three 

 quarters, and breadth a little more than the fifth of an inch. 



As it is not organically connected with the Pothocites, no 

 direct evidence can be drawn from it. Its character, how- 

 ever, is identical with that of the branch to which the fruit is 

 attached ; and their association is not without significance. 



On the cast of the specimen, where the details of the remain- 

 ing segment of the spike are best preserved there appear to 

 be four longitudinal rows of little pits, which, of course, on 

 the plant must have been elevations. 



Pothocites, sp. (PL X. fig. 8.) 



Pothocites, sp,, E. Etlieridge, Jim., u On a new Locality for Pothocites 

 (Patersony Trans. Bot. Soe. Edinb. vol. xii. p. 103 (1874). 



This specimen exhibits little more than a carbonaceous 

 stain on the stone, but is of great interest as being the only 

 one, as far as 1 am aware, which shows two spikes terminating 

 the extremities of a dichotomous branch. The impression of 

 the plant is about three inches and a quarter long, the stem 





