272 KEPORTS OX THE STATE OF SCIEXCE. 



distance from the convex border of one pit to that of the next varie.'ii 

 greatly, but is generally somewhere near 2 mm. It will be readily 

 understood that, owing to the comparative coarseness of the material 

 and the slightness of the impressions, any measurement of such small 

 objects can only be approximate — several series of tracks are 12 cm. 

 or more in length, and often several series are found within a few 

 inches of each other. There is no doubt that they are actual prints 

 (not casts). One specimen is in the Natural History Museum (T. 235) 

 and several others are in private collections, but they all came from the 

 same place, and were found within a short time of each other (Plate V., 

 lig. 1). 



Though very like the tracks of small shore-crabs, they more nearly 

 resemble the tracks of the Chsetopod Nychia cirrosa, described and 

 figured by Nathorst,' which, however, does not show the crescentic form 

 so clearly. 



The rarity of remains of plants in the Lower Keuper is well known, 

 and the few there are are but fragmentary. The absence of carbonaceous 

 matter, and their being preserved only as casts, entirely precludes any 

 knowledge of their internal structure. There can, however, be little 

 doubt that a series of casts resembling those of fragments of Equisetiform 

 plants I'eally represent the remains of a Triassic flora. They may be 

 described as much flattened, cylindrical stems, generally about 1 or 2 cm. 

 in width, crossed at intervals in many specimens by serrated joints or 

 nodes, and sometimes associated with narrow leaves (Plate V., fig. 2). 

 One specimen from Storeton in the Liverpool Museum has its upper 

 termination clearly preserved. It is figured by Mr. G. H. Morton in his 

 ' Geology of Liverpool,' and named by him EquinpAum kettperina. The 

 late Mr. F. M. Webb examined it for Mr. Morton and described it as 

 ' the upper portion of an Equisetum, but without any remains of fructifi- 

 cation ; the stem is simple, sulcate grooves 1| lines in breadth. The 

 teeth of the sheaths are triangular, measuring when perfect 1^ lines in 

 length.^ The other fragments from Storeton and elsewhere so entirely 

 agree with this that it is fairly safe to consider them as casts of plants. 

 A large group of such fragmentary remains has quite recently been found 

 at Storeton, and is now in the Liverpool Museum. 



Some markings on a slab at Warwick,^ if plants at all, may possibly 

 represent plants of the same character. The flattened stem is two 

 or three times the width of those from Cheshire. There are no nodes 

 on the lengths preserved, the longitudinal ribs are separated by a flat 

 surface several times their width. The whole stem narrows slightly 

 towards one end, which has the appearance of being crushed and frayed, 

 all the ribs being continued as separate rods and bending in different 

 directions. The sides of the main stem are fringed with markings 

 lesembling leaflets. Thei'e are other similar markings on the same 

 slab. There are no definite footprints on this slab. There is another 

 very similar marking on a slab with footprint.'?, probably from the Upper 

 Keuper Sandstone at Shrewley, also in the Warsvick Museum. 



A much more perfect example of what appears to represent something 

 very similar is on a slab in the Natural History Museum (R. "^0), from 



' Op. cit. plate ix. fig. 2. 



■■^ Morton's Geology of Lieerpool, 2nd edition, p. 115, plate xii. 

 ^ ' Slab of Keuper Sandstone with impressions of plants upon it from Coten End 

 Quarry, 1872,' Warwick Museum. 



