SPHENOPTEEIS. 153 



Some of the species mentioned in tte above synonymy have 

 leen included on the evidence furnished by Schenk as the result 

 •of his examination of the actual specimens. 



As there is no indication of sporangia on any of the specimens 

 ■of this species in the English collections, I have adopted vrhat may 

 -appear to be a somewhat retrograde course in placing Sphenopteris 

 prineeps among ferns which cannot safely be assigned to a definite 

 family. The evidence published by Continental authors does not 

 seem to be sufficiently convincing to warrant the inclusion of the 

 TTorkshire plant in the family Osmundacese. 



41,397. PI. XVI. Fig. 2. 



This specimen, of which a part is shown in the drawing, agrees 

 -very closely with Leckenby's type-specimen of Sphenopteris modesfa, 

 now in the Leckenby Collection. Compare also Schenk's ' pi. viii. 

 fig. 1 with PI. XVI. Fig. 2 of this Catalogue ; the two figures 

 present a very close resemblance, and one can hardly doubt that 

 i;hey represent leaves specifically identical. 



The pinnae are at right angles to the rachis, and the crowded 

 pinnules at right angles to the axis of each pinna. There are some 

 iragments with smaller pinnules on the same piece of shale, which 

 .agree with the smaller pinnse figured by Schenk. 



Upper Shale, Scarborough. Presented by J. Lechenhy, JSaq. 



41,397a. The upper portion of a frond, showing that even 

 the smaller apical pinnae are at right angles to the rachis. 



Scarborough. Presented hy J. Leckenly, Esq. 



41,397b. a fine specimen showing portions of several fronds, 

 Tvhich are arranged on the shale as though converging towards 

 & common stem; a similai' disposition is shown more clearly in 

 some of Schenk's figures of the Ehaetic plant (pi. viii. fig, 1). 

 The smaller segments in this and other specimens are more or 

 iess deltoid in shape, with spreading, acutely forked veins. 



Scarborough. Presented hy J. Leckenby, Esq^ 



Other specimens .— V. 3304, V. 3931, 39,259. 



1 Schenk (67). 



