PBOM THE HUTTON COLLECTION. 63 



shape from those found associated with the var. Crithmifolia and 

 from Hutton's figure. 



The typical form of this fern is not figured in the Fossil Flora, 

 but the specimen figured on Plate 33 of the Illustrations of 

 Fossil Plants is still in the collection, and was probably pre- 

 sented to Hutton by Mr. Thomas Embleton, who made the 

 drawing of this and several other examples of the same species, 

 which are figured in the same work, Plates 28, 34, 35, 36. 

 Mr. Embleton's specimens were obtained from Fawdon Colliery, 

 where this fine species seems to have been plentiful and well 

 preserved in the shale above the High-Main Coal Seam, and also 

 at Grosforth. I have not seen a single specimen of this type 

 form from any other local colliery. The drawings sent to Stern- 

 berg and Brongniart by the Rev. Dr. Buckland and by Dr. 

 Taylor were probably made from Fawdon specimens. The 

 original of Brongniart's figure of S, stricta was obtained from 

 the neighbourhood of Glasgow, where the typical form also 

 occurs. 



The variety S. Crithmifolia occurs in the shale above the Ben- 

 sham Coal Seam rather plentifully at Jarrow. The variety 

 stricta occurs with it and with the typical form, though, as 

 the latter occurs in a higher part of the coal series, it may be 

 questioned whether the term typical should be applied to it and 

 not to the older form S. Crithmifolia. This species seems to be 

 limited to the North of England and East and "West of Scotland. 

 There seems to be no well-authenticated foreign locality for it, 

 as I do not think Boulay's figure, quoted by Kidston, belongs 

 to this fine characteristic British species. 



In placing Lindley and Hutton's Cardiocarpon acntum here 

 as the spore-case of this species, I am quite aware that it is 

 differently assigned by other authors, but in this Coal-field it is 

 always associated with this fern or alone, and occurs only where 

 this fern does, and, as far as I am aware, in no other part of 

 our district. I think it is often confounded with C. apiculatum, 

 which is very rare here, and which belongs to a very different 

 group of plants. C. acutum has no kernel as the latter has and 

 is of quite a different shape and always flattened. 



