32 



Fossil Plants. — Massasaus;a, Rattle Snake, 



Strobilus Caryophyllus. Specific Character. — Cone-shap- 

 ed ; seeds radiating from an oblong centre ; stem thick and short. 



Description. — Capsule cone-shaped,, nearly round ; fruit arranged 

 in radii ; oblong, clove-shaped ; half an inch in length, and one Una 

 in diameter. Strobilus, one inch in diameter. 



Observations. — The fossil above described is apparently the fruit 

 of some cone-bearing tree. The seeds are arranged like those of 

 the Plane tree, but are twice as large, and not half as numerous. 

 They are more clove-shaped, and not flat like those of Coniferae or 

 resinous trees. It is probably the fruit of some extinct species, bu- 

 ried amidst the ruins of the coal strata at that period when arbores- 

 cent ferns clothed this part of the earth. From the sandstone rocks 

 on the Mahoning River. (Fig. 8.) 



Fis. 8. 



Massasauga, Rattle Snake. — In the Tamarack and Cranberry 

 swamp, noticed as lying over the upper coal deposit, are found large 

 numbers of a small black, or very dark brown rattle snake, about 

 twelve or fourteen inches in length, and of a proportionate thickness. 

 They have usually three or four small rattles. This species seems 

 to be confined to the Tamarack swamps, and are found no where 

 else but in their vicinities, wandering in the summer months a short 

 distance only from their borders. When lying basking in the sun, 

 they resemble a short, dirty, broken stick or twig, being generally 

 discolored with mud, over which they are frequently moving. Their 

 bite is not very venomous, yet they are much dreaded by the neigh- 

 boring people. Their habitations are retired and unfrequented, so 

 that few persons are ever bitten. The Indian name for this snake 



