W. M. Fontaine- Conglomerate Series of West Virginia. 379 



closely placed, leaving the midrib at a very acute angle, 

 strongly arched so as to meet the sides at a right angle and 

 forking repeatedly. 



This plant so far as can be gathered from the imperfect spe- 

 cimens obtained, is of the same type with the Ahthopteris 

 ohscura of the Pennsylvania reports. Fig. 13 of these reports 

 would give a good representation of it if the pinnules were 

 separate to the base, more remote, and inserted on the rachis 

 as above described. The nervation is the principal point of 

 difference. It will be noted that this plant has many features 

 in common with the Mesozoic aletlwpterids. 



8. Cordaites Rohbii Dawson? This plant is rather rare and 

 occurs at Sewell Station with coal 9, and at Quinnimont at the 

 horizon of coal 5. 



9. Alethopteris Serlil? Brongt. This plant, which is the most 

 abundant one in coal 9 at Sewell Station, differs in some 

 points from A. Serlii. The pinnules are more slender, and are 

 decurreut by their lower base which forms a narrow wing, 

 while the upper portion of the base is obliquely cut away so as 

 to cause the midrib to spring from the upper margin, which is 

 barely reached by the decurrent portion of the pinnule next 

 above. The pinnules are usually strongly recurved. In these 

 points it resembles Dawson's A. discrepans of the Devonian. 

 It may be a new species. 



10. Calamites cannceformis Schloth. This is not rare in the 

 slates over coal No. 9, a ^ " 



11. Alethopteris grandifoUa Newb. This plant which i 



which \] 



I of coal 5 at Quinnimont at first sight of 

 ntire pinnules, resembles No. 9, but in its nervation, 

 ; resembles that of Neuropteris, and in other points, 

 it is very different, I have placed this under Alethopteris grandi- 

 folia from which it is somewhat different, for the same reason 

 that I included No. 9 under A. Serlii, being unwilling, without 

 more abundant material, to place these plants apart The forms 

 of No. 11 seem all to come from the upper part of the frond, 

 and belong to the broad leaved variety of A. grandifolia, if they 

 are identical with it They represent the terminations of 

 fronds or compound pinnae, showing in their lower parts, 

 pinnae pinnately cut into pinnules, which become more and 

 more united toward the summit of the frond or pinna ; chang- 

 ing first to pinnules, with deeply undulated margins, and 

 finally passing into pinnules with entire borders. These closely 

 resemble the broad leaved variety of A. grandifolia, but are 

 relatively narrower, and less united at the base. In their mode 

 of insertion, they resemble to a certain extent No. 9, being 

 somewhat cut away above and decurrent below. In No. 9 the 

 nervation is that of A. Serlii, while in the plant in question it 



