﻿PACHYTHECA 
  FEOM 
  THE 
  DENBIGH 
  SHIEE 
  GEITS. 
  109 
  

  

  was 
  a 
  reproductive 
  structure 
  belonging 
  to 
  any 
  type 
  of 
  vascular 
  

   cryptogam. 
  

  

  " 
  According 
  to 
  the 
  view 
  which 
  I 
  take 
  of 
  Pachytheea, 
  it 
  was 
  an 
  

   algal 
  organism, 
  closely 
  resembling 
  in 
  essential 
  structure 
  a 
  dimi- 
  

   nutive 
  Codium, 
  but 
  with 
  the 
  peripheral 
  cells 
  branched 
  instead 
  of 
  

   simple. 
  I 
  do 
  not 
  see 
  any 
  evidence 
  to 
  lead 
  me 
  to 
  suppose 
  that 
  it 
  

   was 
  related 
  to 
  Prototaocites 
  as 
  a 
  sporangial 
  organ. 
  The 
  existence 
  of 
  

   Prototaocites 
  on 
  modern 
  biological 
  views 
  necessarily 
  implies 
  the 
  

   existence, 
  at 
  some 
  time 
  or 
  other, 
  of 
  allied 
  forms 
  ; 
  and 
  I 
  do 
  not 
  see 
  

   why 
  Pachytheea 
  should 
  not 
  have 
  been 
  a 
  contemporaneous 
  one." 
  

  

  Dr. 
  Hicks 
  explained 
  the 
  way 
  in 
  which 
  the 
  specimens 
  had 
  come 
  

   into 
  Principal 
  Dawson's 
  hands. 
  

  

  The 
  Pkesidext 
  supported 
  Mr. 
  Carruthers's 
  views 
  as 
  to 
  the 
  non- 
  

   coniferous 
  character 
  of 
  Nematophyais. 
  With 
  regard 
  to 
  Pachytheea 
  

   he 
  felt 
  great 
  doubts. 
  

  

  