530 SIR J. W. DAWSON — FOSSILS FROM NEWFOUNDLAND. 



above which occur sandstones and shales representing the Millstone grit and 

 coal formation, and holding the workable seams of coal. 



In collections from the lower Carboniferous limestone, made by Dr. Robert 

 Bell and Mr. Paterson, I recognized eleven species previously recorded from 

 the lower Carboniferous of Nova Scotia, and two new species, Serpulites 

 iniirrayi and Macrocheilus terranovicus. These were described in the report 

 of the Peter Redpath museum for 1883.. 



The fossil plants are of interest as extending the flora of the Nova Scotia 

 coal fields a little further toward the northeast, and as indicating the vege- 

 tation of the parts of the island of Newfoundland then above water, and 

 which constitute the nearest portion of known Carboniferous land in 

 America to the great coal fields of southern Wales and of England. 



I shall begin with the description and discussion of certain plants which 

 raise new points, or are new species, and shall then give a list of the better 

 known species with their localities elsewhere. 



New or remarkable Fossil Plants. 



gymnosperme.e, 



In the original collection sent by Mr. Murray there was a fragment of 

 calcified wood having its tissues much disintegrated by crystallization, so 

 that in longitudinal sections the woody fibers appeared as irregular tortuous 

 tubes, reminding one of those of the Devonian Nematoxylon. On treating 

 fragments with hydrochloric acid, however, it was possible to see that the 

 wood fibers had two to three rows of bordered pores, and that there were 

 simple medullary rays. I therefore considered the wood to be probably 

 that of Dadoxylon materiarium, so common in the coal formation of Nova 

 Scotia. 



In Mr. Howley's collection there is a large fragment of a trunk in a much 

 better state of preservation, and which is not distinguishable from the 

 species just named. D. materiarium is very abundant in Nova Scotia and 

 Cape Breton, and extends from the middle coal formation to the upper 

 coal formation and Permian, where it is associated with leafy branches of 

 Walchia in such a manner as to render it probable or certain that it is the 

 wood of that genus. 



I may remark here that I prefer the name Dadoxylon to the more recent 

 Araucarioxylon, as the latter implies a false theory of the affinities of the 

 wood ; and that I do not regard the criteria of structures of fossil woods as 

 sufficient to establish good species. They vary much in different states of 

 preservation and in stems of difterent ages, and the differences of the mere 

 woody structure in fossil woods of different species are too minute to be in- 



