in the Bournemouth Eocene Jhdft. 707 



passage in the fossil from scale to stalk is gradual, and tliere 

 is no sharply delimited stalk. Tliis is more like P'lcea^ 

 where the scale tapci's j^radually to a stalk-like portion, and 

 is seen too in Pscudotsuija japonica and Ps. douyhisH. The 

 venation gives little aid in diagnosis ; the veins are not well 

 marked in Abietinean cone-scales, and are finer in Picea 

 than in Abies. Though fairly strong in Ps. douglasii, where 

 the characteristic bifurcation can be seen cleai-ly near the 

 edge, they are far less prominent in the body of the scale 

 than in the fossil. The fact that a single cone-scale was found 

 suggests that it belonged to a genus whose scales were 

 deciduons. The scales of recent species of Abies are 

 deciduous, but the cones of Pseudotsnga and Picea do not 

 shed their scales at maturity. Groom (1909, p. 105) states 

 that the lowest and uppermost scales are sterile in Picea, 

 and it is significant in this connection that the scale under 

 discussion shows no evidence of seed-impressions. 



Other Tertiary Cune-scales. — Sismonda (1859, pi. iv. 

 fig. 4) figures a cone-scale from the Miocene of Piedmont, 

 showing the same type of venation as Pityolepis dnrleyensis. 

 He describes it as a Pinus belonging to the division Picea. 

 No measurements are given, but if drawn natural size it is 

 very wide for a Picea and its general shape is more like 

 that of a Tsuga. 



Heer (1868, p. 143) records two species of cone-scale 

 [Finns ingolfiana and Pinus steenstrupiana) from the 

 Miocene of Iceland. The general appearance of these is 

 similar to that of Pityolepis dnrleyensis, but the venation 

 is far more delicate. Heer compares P. steenstrupiana with 

 Abies and P. ingolfiana with Picea., though the latter identi- 

 fication does not seem quite certain. 



Conclusion. — While the fossil shows a certain amount of 

 affinity with Abies, the resemblances are not sufficient to 

 warrant us in referring it to that genus. It sho«^s various 

 features typical of the genus Picea, while its general 

 appearance and venation suggest Pseudotsnga. The non- 

 committal name Pityolepis expresses its Abietinean affinity 

 without definitely associating it with a living genus. 



The fossil was discovered while working on the Bourne- 

 mouth flora with tlie aid of a grant from the Royal Society, 

 and I am indebted to Dr. A. Suiith Woodward for facilities 

 aftbrded me at the British Museum (Natural History). I 

 have to thank Mr. W. N. Edwards for much help and 

 kindlv criticism. 



