104 SIXTEENTH REPORT ON THE CABINET OF NAT. HISTORY. 



at Perry unconformably on shales containing a Lingula which may "be 

 identical with that of St. John, and also other fossils of distinct Upper 

 Silurian forms. The analogy of Perry, therefore, as well as of Gaspe, would 

 point to an Upper Silurian age for the lower members of the St. John series, 

 though at St. John they appear to be conformable to the overlying beds. 

 On the other hand, the unconformability at Perry renders it possible that 

 the lower members of the St. John series may be wanting there ; and to 

 assio^n a Silurian date to the lower beds at St. John would imply the entire 

 absence of the copious and characteristic Lower Devonian marine fauna 

 observed at Gaspe and in Nova-Scotia, as well as in Maine, though not in 

 immediate connexion with the Perry beds ; while, if the whole series of 

 St. John be Devonian, the absence of this fauna would be accounted for by 

 the metamorphism of the lower beds. 



In the present state of the evidence, it would be premature to decide 

 this question, which may be settled either by the discovery of portions of 

 the lower beds in a less altered state, or by tracing the St. John series into 

 connexion with the similar deposits in Maine. In the mean time, therefore, 

 we may be content to regard the upper members of the series as belonging 

 to the later part of the Devonian period, leaving the lower members to be 

 regarded as Lower Devonian or possibly Upper Silurian. 



The fossiliferous portion of the St. John series presents the richest local 

 flora of the Devonian period ever discovered. It far excels, in number of 

 genera and species, the Lower Carboniferous flora as it exists in British 

 America, and is comparable with that of the Middle Coal measures ; from 

 which, however, it differs very remarkably in the relative development of 

 different genera, as well as in the species representing those genera. 



It is only just to observe that the completeness of the following list is 

 due to the industrious labors of an association of young gentlemen of St. 

 John, who, under the guidance of Messrs. Matthew and Hartt, have 

 diligently explored every accessible spot within some distance of the city, 

 and have liberally placed their collections at my disposal for the purposes 

 of this paper. 



Dadoxylon ouangondianum, Dawson. 

 Sigillaiia palpebra, s.n. 

 Stigmaria ticoides ( var.), Brongniart 

 Calamites transitioiiis, Gceppert. 



• cannaeformis, Brongiuart. 



Asterophyllites acicularis, s. n. 



laiitblia, s. n. 



scutigera, s. n. 



longifolia, Brongniart. 



— — parvula, Dawson. 

 Auuularia acurainata, s. n. 

 Sphcnophylliuii antiquum, Dawson, 

 Pianularia dispalans, s n. 

 Lepidodendron gaspianum, Dawson. 

 Lycupodites matthewi. Dawson. 

 Psilophyton elegans, s. n. 



" glabrum, s. n. 

 Cordaites robbii, Dawson. 



angustifolia, Dawson. 



Cyclopteris jacksoni, Dawson^ 



Cyclopteris obtusa, Gappert. 



varia, s. n. 



valida, s. n. 



Neuropteris serrulata, s. n. 



polymorpha, s. n. 



Sphetiopteris hceninghausi, Brongniart. 



murginala. s. n. 



harttii, s. n- 



hitchcockiana, s.n. 



Hymenophyllitcs gersdorfBi, Gcsppert. 



obtusilobuS; Gceppert. 



curtilobuS; s. n. 



Pecopteris (Alethopteris) decurrens, S.n. 



( ) ingens, s. n. 



( ) ohscma.{'^), Lesquereux. 



Trichomanites, s. n. 

 Cardiocarpura cornutura, s.n. 



obliquum, s.n. 



Trigonocarpum racemosum, s.n. 



