204 Knowlton — Problematic Organism from the Devonian. 



Prof. Dana also refers briefly to these organisms described 

 by Meek, in his Manual of Geology (Ed. 1875, p. 259). 



As the lowest point at which unquestioned Chara has been 

 found fossil is the Muschelkalk of Moskau, the discovery 

 of a species in the Devonian would naturally excite great in- 

 terest, for it would then be shown that the genus was much 

 older than is generally supposed. This led to a more detailed 

 examination of the material, when it was found that they could 

 not possibly be referred to Chara as ordinarily accepted, since 

 in all the known species, both living and fossil, the sporo- 

 stegium is composed of five cells twisted to the left, while in this 

 the spirals (sporostegia?) are nine or ten in number and twisted 

 to the right. There is, however, no vital objection to the sup- 

 position that this might have been an archaic or original type 

 from which the more modern forms have been developed. This 

 view is amply confirmed by what we already know of the lines 

 of development that have been followed by some well known 

 types of vegetation, as for example the conifers. 



In order to be more certain in the matter, the specimens and 

 drawings were submitted to Dr. T. F. Allen of New York, the 

 well known authority upon the Oharacew. He was at once 

 struck by their resemblance to the fruits of Chara and im- 

 mediately wrote * that it was probably a new type, a new 

 genus, " still descended direct from the Floridse, perhaps, and 

 grown in salt water. The whole plant must have twisted to 

 the left, because our plants now twist opposite to the twist 

 of the sporostegium ; or perhaps the twist changed when only 

 five cells enveloped the spore." Dr. Allen also suggested 

 their resemblance to the so-called Rhizopod SSaccammina f 

 {Calcisphmrct) Eriana described by Dawson from the Cornif- 

 erous limestone of Kelley's Island near Sandusky, Ohio; a 

 paper that had been before overlooked. On referring to the 

 article in question,! it is at once apparent that the specimens 

 under consideration certainly have a very marked resemblance 

 to those described by Dawson. They are described by him as 

 follows : " . . . they are minute globular bodies, one milli- 

 meter in diameter, and occur in great numbers in light gray 

 limestone containing Stromatopora, crinoidal joints and corals, 

 as well as multitudes of minute organic fragments. The ex- 

 terior surface of the specimens is dull or granular in aspect, 

 and either smooth or marked with slight spiral ridges, giving 

 an appearance which at first sight suggests a resemblance to 

 the spore-cases of Chara. On microscopic examination, they 

 are found to be hollow spheres filled with calcite introduced 

 by infiltration, having one small aperature; and the test or wall 

 of the sphere presents a granular appearance as if composed 



* In Litt., April 9, 1888. f Canadian Nat., New Ser., vol. x. p. 5. 



