76 CATALOGUE OP FOSSIL PLANTS 



the specimen than in the figure, nervation very fine and close, 

 so that the bifurcations are difficult to be seen. The specimen 

 is a cast of the upper surface and not as pi. 52 represents the 

 upper surface itself. 



Loc. — Shale above the Bensham Seam, Jarrow. (H. C. 238). 



122. Nearly terminal portion of a large primary pinna, shew- 

 ing the remains of four secondary lateral pinna? and the 

 terminal pinna. 



Loc. — Shale above the Bensham Seam, Jarrow. [H. C. 241). 



123. A large secondary pinna, of nearly same shape as F. F., 



pi. 52, with nearly all the pinnules or leaves attached on one 

 side of the stem or frond-branch and partly deciduous on the 

 other side. The leaves or pinnules become gradually less in 

 size towards the apex, which is not preserved ; nervation dis- 

 tinct of the upper surface of pinnules. 



Loc. — Shale above the Bensham Seam, Jarrow. (H.C. 239). 



124. in vernation. Plate 1. (Spiropteris (?) Lebour, 111. Foss. 



Pits., pi. 47), Type. 

 This specimen seems to represent N. gigantea in vernation. 

 It shews a primary pinna, with ten or more unexpanded 

 secondary pinnas, the pinnules being all folded up. The unde- 

 veloped rachial-branch is about six inches long, and appears 

 to have been protected with a floccuknt covering, as seen on 

 the rachis of many of the larger recent ferns when in vernation. 



Loc. — Shale above the Bensham Seam, Jarrow. (H. C. 243). 



Remarks. — This fine species, of which the pinnules appear to 

 be more deciduous than in any other kind of this genus, is 

 commonly distributed in this Coal-field; but as far as I have 

 observed it is nearly always in fragments of pinnae or pinnules, 

 which from having Microconchi attached to them shew that they 

 have been macerated for some time in water. Plate 1 will give 

 some idea of a pinna of this fern in vernation, as there can be no 

 doubt I think that No. 124 belongs to this species. The rachis 

 seems to have had a flocculent covering at this stage of growth. 

 The same specimen is also figured in the Illustration of Eossil 

 Plants, from a drawing left unpublished by Hutton. 



