404 MESOZOIC FLORAS OF UNITED STATES. 



THE MARYLAND CYCADS. 



The important role that the siUcified trunks of Bennettitacese, 

 popularly known as "cycads," have played in the history of the Potomac 

 flora in Maryland justifies and almost requires the special and separate 

 treatment of these. In the above historical review I have, therefore, 

 contented myself with recording the earlier discoveries of these trunks 

 as a necessary part of the history of the formation, and have left for such 

 special treatment the rnore recent operations and renewed activitj^ in 

 this line. 



Nearly twentj^ years had elapsed since any special attention had 

 been paid to the occurrence of cycads in the iron-ore beds of Maryland, 

 when, in the autumn of 1893, Mr. W J McGee learned that Mr. Arthur 

 Bibbins, of the Woman's College of Baltimore, had obtained some addi- 

 tional specimens and wrote to him concerning them. Mr. Bibbins, in 

 his reply, dated October 14, said: 



* * * The fragments of Tysonia in our possession were purchased from 

 the owners of the estates on which they were found by President John F. Goucher. 

 * * * I have made thorough search for additional specimens, but thus far with- 

 out success. Those occurring in the Baltimore region appear to be about all called 

 in. None of the fragments were in place, and it can not be said with certainty that 

 they are from the Potomac beds. Such, however, appears extremely probable from 

 their position. 



I wrote to Doctor Goucher to know whether the Woman's College 

 would like to exchange anj^ of these cycads for other museum specimens. 

 Doctor Goucher was absent at the time, but there was sotne correspond- 

 ence between Mr. Bibbins and Doctor Knowlton relative to cutting 

 sections of the cycads, in which I also took part. Mr. Bibbins continued 

 his search for the trunks among the people living in the region where 

 they were found and succeeded in obtaining a number of others that 

 had been picked up bj^ miners and farmers on their land. The following 

 item found its way into the Washington Post of January 9, 1894: 



Several fine specimens of fossils were found near Laurel last week by a geologist 

 from the Woman's College, of Baltimore city. It is said the specimens belong to a 

 species of the palm tree which existed in tliis countr_y thousands of years ago. 



I sent the clipping to Mr. Bibbins and offered to assist him in the 

 prosecution of his work, especially wishing to ascertain the exact strati- 



