378 J. E. 'Teschemacher on the 
will no doubt admit, as strong resemblances, many of the fos- 
sil Pecopteridez of Brongniart. This is very striking in his 
P. punctulata, which Géppert calls Hemitelites giganteus 
var. punctulatus. It now nearly resembles the Cnemidaria 
of Presl; and Góppert's H. Brownii (Phlebopteris contigua, 
Lind. & Hutt., vol. II. tab. CXLIV.) is, in venation, more like 
the sterile frond of Woodwardia, tab. XX XVIII, than any of 
the Cyatheacez. Nearly the same observation will apply to 
. H. polypodioides, Phlebopteris polypodioides, Brongn. ; but 
here the appearances of the fructification in the fossil differ 
from those of the recent fern. ' 
These remarks might be extended if necessary, and they 
are of interest, as the venation is the chief character of the 
fossil fern. But my object, at present, is more to collate the 
fossil vegetables among themselves, than to institute a com- 
parison between them and our present vegetation ; this will 
be better pursued as a distinct branch of inquiry. lt is, how- 
ever, surprising that so much has already been effected in the 
arrangement of materials, the connecting links of which are 
in such a defective state. 3 
There seems to be some confusion among the divisions into 
which fossil ferns have been arranged by authors. 
Neuropteris, Odontopteris, Otopteris and Cyclopteris, which, 
with a few others, constitute Unger’s order Neuropterides, 
exhibit several instances of this. 
Neuropteris Dufresnoyi, of Brongn., tab. LXXIV., if the 
figure be correct, is certainly an Odontopteris, although still 
retained as Neuropteris by Unger. 
Odontopteris crenulata, of Brongn., tab. LXXVII bis, fig. 
2, is the Neuropteris serrata of Sternberg: it has clearly * 
medial vein, although attached by its base to the rachis. 
Several other instances might also be adduced ; and eve? 
Sphenopteris appears to share in the confusion. For— 
Sphenopteris palmetta, of Brongn., (Asplenites palmelta, of 
Géppert,) is clearly a Neuropteris, and is classed with this 
division by Schimper and Mougeot, and by Unger. 2 
