Mr. W. Carruthers on the Tree Ferns of the Coal-measures, 233 



2. " On the Tree Ferns of the Coal-measures, and their relations 

 to other living and fossil forms." By W. Carruthers, Esq., F.R.S., 

 F.G.S. 



After referring to the remarkably uniform character of the order 

 of Ferns throughout their whole history on the globe, the author 

 pointed out that there existed in the Coal-measures two very di- 

 stinct kinds of fern-stems, each represented by several species. Both 

 of these were very different from the Chelepteris -group already de- 

 scribed by the author in the Journal of the Society. The first group 

 had a stem -structure like that of living tree ferns. In them the 

 vascular elements of the stem formed a closed cylinder round the 

 pith ; and the vascular bundles for the leaves were given off from 

 the out-turned edges of the cylinder, where, at regular intervals, 

 corresponding to the position of the leaves, narrow meshes occur for 

 this purpose. To this group were referred the stem described by 

 Lindley and Hutton as Caulopteris Phillips li, and several hitherto 

 undescribed species from Eadstock and Newcastle. No materials had 

 yet been detected which could throw any light on the foliage or fruit 

 of these fern-stems. The second group included some stems the 

 casts of which the author had obtained from Eadstock, and the root- 

 structures from Halifax. By the help of a fine series of specimens in 

 the collections of the British Museum, he was able to correlate the 

 different parts of these plants. The stems had been described by 

 Corda under the name of Stemmatopteris. They differed from the 

 other group chiefly in having the ends of the vascular plates, as seen 

 in the transverse section, turned inwards, and having the bundles of 

 the leaves formed in a complete condition in the axis of the stem. 

 The author showed that the relation of the^different parts of the stem 

 in the species of Caulopteris was the same as in a first year's dicotyle- 

 don, while in the latter group the analogy of the structures was 

 with the monocotyledonous stem. The roots, which surrounded the 

 older portions of the stem, formed the well-known genus Psaronius 

 of Cotta ; and as this was the earlier name, it was proposed to retain 

 it for the genus. There was associated with all the fine specimens 

 of this group which he had received from J. M'Murtrie, Esq., F.G.S., 

 foliage which had been described as Cyatheites arborescens. Although 

 this had not been observed organically connected with the stems, the 

 author adduced several reasons for believing that it belonged to 

 them. If this connexion could be established, it was of the greater 

 importance, as this form was known in fruit, and the fruit esta- 

 blished that its affinities were with the living Alsophilas and Cya- 

 theas. Many species of this genus occurred in the continental coal- 

 fields ; but the author believed that all the specimens found in Eng- 

 land, though differing considerably amongst themselves, belonged to 

 a single species. 



3. " Notes on the Geology of Kazirun, Persia." By A. H. 

 Schindler, Esq. 



In this paper, which accompanied a series of specimens presented 

 to the Museum of the Society, the author described the section pre- 

 sented by the hills in the neighbourhood of Kazirun. The general 



