Fossil Vegetation of America. 383 
from Rhode Island, that it is surprising he should have passed 
this circumstance over entirely without observation. Géppert 
does not mention this fossil ; he, probably, had never seen it. 
He has described and figured two fossils, Asplenites nodosus 
and Aspidites nodosus ; but in neither are the joints distinet 
enough to leave no doubt of their being such. There are but 
few recent ferns possessing joints. "These I have not seen, 
and am therefore unable to compare them ; but it is a char- 
acter which adds to the probability of Odontopteris Brardii 
not belonging to the ferns. 
On comparing the specimen from Rhode Island, it will be 
seen that the form of the termination of the pinne differs 
much from that given in Brongniart, tab. LXXV. The lower 
pinnule differs, also, in form, from the others ; but I have seen 
none so regularly irregular as those in his tab. LXXVI. 
There is a great peculiarity in this as well as in most of the 
other specimens from Portsmouth ; the pinnules are of quite a 
different form on each side of the stem. The same will be ob- 
served in Cyatheites Schlotheimii, plate XXXVI., and it occurs 
alo on other specimens. I think it can only be attributed to | 
Some variation in the pressure when entombed, but cannot 
make up my mind as to the mode. "There is the same ap- 
Pearance in Brongniart's figure of Neuropteris Villiersii, tab. 
LXIV. fig. 1. 
Neuropteris and Odontopteris. 
Plate XXXIV. Of these I find no resemblance in the works 
to which I have access. I would observe that the petioles are 
net quite so distinct in the specimen as in the figure ; still 
they doubtless exist. Were it not for this circumstance, one 
5 more like N. Villiersii, Brongn., the other like Cyclopteris 
i us of the same author. I do not offer to name them 
for fear of adding to those pests of natural history — synonyms ; 
ut will rather wait until the group of NEUROPTERIDES shall 
undergo thorough revision. I would here state that the fossil 
figured (plate XXXV. d) as Beinertia, is probably the same as 
