OTOZAMITES. 209 



of the fern, exhibit a greater likeness to Oto%amUes Beani than 

 is presented by any recent Cycad. While believing this Jurassic 

 plant to be a member of the Cycadales, I would draw attention 

 to the fact that the fronds exhibit more marked fern - like 

 characters than are found in recent Cycadean leaves. The 

 Palseozoic Cycadofllices have made us familiar with the union of 

 Filicinean and Cycadean features, and traces of the common 

 origin of the Ferns and Cycads are exhibited by the Mesozoic 

 genus Bennettites. In the frond of Oto%amites Beani we have, 

 I believe, a further indication among Jurassic Cycadean plants 

 of the close relationship of Ferns and Cycads, which is more 

 faintly revealed ia the recent species of these two groups. 

 Among recent Cycadean fronds which bear most resemblance to 

 Otosamites Beani may be mentioned Zamia furfuraoea, Ait., and 

 allied forms. 



40,568. PI. II. Fig. 3. 



A large slab of shale with two fronds about 20 cm. long, and 

 parts of others. The longest pinna has a length of 3'5 cm. 

 and a breadth of 1'7 cm. The pinnae are attached to the upper 

 face of the rachis by the lower edge of the base, the lobed 

 upper edge being free and often overlapping the next higher 

 j)iana ; the veins are well marked, spreading from the point of 

 attachment, and frequently forked. The pinnEe shown in the 

 figure have somewhat more pointed apices than ia some of 

 the specimens of this species. Cf. Zigno's figures ' (pis. xxxv. 

 and xxxvi.) of 0. Molinianus, Zign. 



Lower Shale, Scarborough. Bean Coll. 



39,214. PL I. Fig. 4. 



The basal part of a frond, bearing deltoid pinnse vpith 



upward-directed tips ; the basal pinnae are broader in proportion 



to their length than those shown in Fig. 3. These pinnae are 

 broader than the corresponding pinnae in Zigno's specimens of 

 Oto%amites Molinianus. 



Scarborough. Bean Coll. 



• Zigno (73). 



