

Genus Pothocites, rater son. 305 



occupying about two inches ; each of the forks of the dicho- 

 tomy measures about an inch. The spikes show imperfect 

 longitudinal rows of little tubercular depressions and the usual 

 constrictions which divide the fruit into segments. 



We have seen from the description of the previous speci- 

 men that the branch bearing the spike arose from another 

 similar but slightly larger stalk. This alone might have 

 given us some insight into the nature of the small projection 

 from the side of the stem of Pothocites Orantonii ; but in this 

 example its true nature is very clearly explained. 



It would appear, then, that there is the greatest probability, 

 if not positive certainty, that the little projection from the side 

 of the stem of P. Grantonii is the remains of a branch which 

 bore a similar spike to the one which has been preserved. 



From the evidence adduced from this and the last-described 

 specimen, it seems quite impossible to hold any longer the 

 view so often expressed, that the " little projection " is evi- 

 dently to be referred to the remains of a deciduous leaf or 

 spa the *. 



This specimen is also of Calciferous-Sandstone age, and was 

 collected by Mr. James Bennie at Barnton Pavement-stone 

 Quarry, Corstorphine Hill, near Edinburgh. 



Pothocites calamitoides , Kidst. (PI. XII. figs. 13, 15, 16, 17.) 



Pothocites calamitoides, Kidston, " On the Affinities of the Genus Potho- 

 cites (Paterson)/' Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. Nov. 18^2. 



This example was collected by Mr. T. Stock from the 

 Cement-stone group of the Calciferous-Sandstone series, Glen- 



cartholm, Eskdale. 



It is fully seven inches long ; of this the spike occupies a 

 little less than five inches and a half, and is, so far as is known 

 to me, the first specimen in which the fruit is shown up to its 



extremity. 



The spike contains eight segments, of which the three basal 

 are about the same size and measure four fifths of an inch 

 long by half an inch broad ; the fourth and fifth segments 

 (counting from the base upwards) are about equal to each 

 other in size, but slightly less than those below them. They 

 measure about seven tenths of an inch in length, and are 

 slightly less than half an inch broad. 



The succeeding segments decrease in size, the terminal one 

 being only three tenths of an inch long. ^ The upper extremi- 

 ties of the last three segments, but especially of the last two, 

 are narrower than their basal portions ; and in the apical one 



* Paterson, /. r. p. 46. 





