xl PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
coal-bed, its stem rising vertically above the roots. From the arrange- 
ment of shale in nearly horizontal layers in the roots, fern-leaves bemg 
interposed between the layers of shale, Mr. Richard Brown infers 
that the roots were hollow before the mud, which now forms the 
shale, was accumulated round this plant. It may not be out of place 
here to remark on the frequent evidence we have in the paleeozoic 
coal-measures of upright stems, some certainly those of large Szgzl- 
larie, which were hollow before they were completely entombed in the 
mud, silt, or sand now consolidated around and im their remains. 
These plants seem often to have continued standing while several feet 
of detritus were accumulated around them, the upper parts finally 
becoming too much decomposed to resist pressure upon them. The 
accumulations of mud, silt, or sand, as the case might be, with any 
plants drifted with them, then fell over mto the hollow, and there 
often settled in layers, separated from the main accumulations outside 
by the bark, now found so commonly converted into coal. 
Concluding that the evidence is good respecting the connection of 
Lepidodendron stems with Stigmaria roots, Mr. Richard Brown infers 
that all the large trees which flourished at this period were furnished — 
with roots of a similar character, especially adapted to the soft muddy 
ground in which they grew. 
In his memoir on the mineral character and fossil conchology of 
the Great Oolite near Minchinhampton, Mr. Lycett presents us with 
a list of 104 Conchifera, 44 Monomyaria, 7 Brachiopoda, 135 Gaster- 
opoda, and 8 Cephalopoda, with 9 Radiaria, making a total of 317 
species, discovered in the 130 feet of that member of the oolitie series 
as developed in that vicinity. It should however be observed, that 
about 128 of these species are considered to be undescribed, and that 
figures and descriptions of them are not given in the memoir. Mr. 
Lycett directs attention to the excellent preservation of the fossils in 
the locality he notices, one comprised within a radius of three miles, the 
external ligaments of the bivalves and coloured markings of the uni- 
valves being not unfrequently preserved. Though the area is so limited 
it is rich in organic remains, and Mr. Lycett remarks, that when col- 
lating the fossil forms in it with those from foreign countries, it is 
remarkable how few are found to be identical, though there is a strong 
family resemblance, and observes that the small size of the area de- 
scribed is advantageous so far as it exhibits the grouping or assem- 
blage of contemporaneous species, free from the doubt which some- 
times exists with respect to fossils collected over a more extended 
district. He then states that out of 127 species of univalves found, 
and exclusive of Cephalopoda and Radiaria, no less than forty-one are 
carnivorous, six others belonging to a genus (Phasianella) the recent 
species of which are. both phytophagous and carnivorous, ‘‘ thus pre- 
senting a proportion of species in the zoophagous tribes not very dif- 
ferent from that which obtains in warm seas of the recent period.” 
Our author then adverts to the scarcity of Cephalopods. Of Belem- 
nites there is only one small species, and the individuals few ; only two 
species of Nautilus; and Ammonites are so rare, that of five species 
Mr. Lycett has seen only forty individuals. Referring to the abun- 
