180 



Dr. Feistmantel, who has so ably elaborated the Indian 

 fossil plants, erected this genus to include certain peculiar 

 forms which had been previously classed as Noggerathia, 

 which, though of doubtful position, is usually referred to the 

 conifers. As regards the position of Noeggerathiopsis itself, 

 Dr. Feistmantel is not quite certain, although he inclines to 

 the opinion that it is the leaf of a cycadeous plant. The late 

 Prof. Heer, on the other hand, regarded the closely allied 

 forms classed as NoeggeratHea as belonging to the coniferce ; 

 and Dr. Feistmantel also refers another somewhat similar 

 form (Euryphyllmn), associated with Noeggerathiopsis in the 

 Talcbir Karh'arbari beds of India, to the conifer®. Dr. 

 Feistmantel further considers the reference of Noeggerathiop- 

 sis to Gycadece with such doubt that he considers it possible 

 (Mem. G-eol. Survey, India, ser. xii., 1879, p. 26) that Noeg- 

 gerathiopsis may vet prove to be closer to the Conifer m than 

 to the Cyeadeacem, and in such case he suggests they would 

 perhaps represent other species of Ewyphyllum, which he 

 classes as belonging to the coniferas. 



My present object in drawing attention to this_ matter is 

 to make further suggestions why Noeggerathiopsis media, so 

 abundant in the lower coal measures of Tasmania, should be 

 regarded as a conifer rather than as a cycad. 



In the first place there exists in great abundance in Tas- 

 manian carboniferous rocks coniferous trunks of trees, often 

 of great size. One in particular at One Tree Point, Bruni 

 Island, must, at least, have been 40 feet long, and 4 feet in 

 diameter. The only foliage yet discovered associated in the 

 same rocks with these coniferous trunks are the abundant 

 forms of Noeggerathiopsis. 



If, therefore, the latter be not the foliage belonging to these 

 very abundant silicified trunks of conifers, it is strange that 

 no other trace of coniferous foliage should fail to be disclosed 

 when such forms as Glossopteris and Noeggerathiopsis occur 

 in such wonderful abundance. 



I am all the more inclined to relate the coniferous trunks 

 with the Noeggerathiopsis foliage, when I regard how closely 

 the latter corresponds with the coniferous genus Bhipidopsis, 

 Schmalhausen, which is described as follows : — 



Leaves supported by a very long petiole, coriaceous, palmate, 

 digitate. Segments varying from 6 to 10 entire, those of the 

 mfddle part extending much beyond the lateral segments, 

 cuneiform almost pedicellate, truncate towards the exterior 

 margin, traversed by numerous nerves repeatedly bifurcate. 

 Fruit in the form of a drupe, but internally striate. 



It is further of significance that the fruit of Bhipidopsis 

 cjinlcgoidcs, Schmalhausen, is almost identical in appearance 

 with certain winged seeds which are invariably found in more 



