394 



THE WONDERS OF GEOLOGY. 



Lect. IV. 



These ferns probably did not attain a considerable mag- 

 nitude. The largest stem of the Sphenopteris I have seen, 

 must have belonged to a plant about 

 five or six feet high. Several other 

 species of ferns are associated with 

 these remains ; but the two plants 

 above named, constitute by far the 

 greatest proportion of the fossil vege- 

 tables of Tilgate Forest. I have a 

 remarkable specimen of another fern, 

 in which the parts of fructification are 

 beautifully preserved (Lign. 89) ; the 

 same species has been found in the 

 Wealden of the north of Germany.* 

 Obscure indications of other species of 

 ferns occur in our wealden clays, but 

 no intelligible specimens have been 

 obtained. In the German deposits 

 Dr. Dunker has discovered upwards 

 of twenty species. t 



Leaves of Cycadeous plants, and 

 seed-vessels of Restiacece, are met 

 with in the ironstone of Heathfield, 

 Sussex ; and remains of the foliage 

 of trees allied to the Cypress and 

 Juniper. The stems of a species of 

 Equisetum (mare's tail) abound in 

 the blue limestone of Pounceford.J 



21. Cycadeous flants. — Endo- 

 ge?iites erosa.% — In the strata of Til- 

 gate Forest, in the sands of Hastings, 



Lign. 89. — Frond of a fern 

 in fructification ; in 



SANDSTONE, FROM TlL- 



gate Forest. 

 (Aletkopteris elegana ; 



of Dr. Bunker.) 

 Fig. 1. Three pinnules mag- 

 nified. 

 Fig. 2. The specimen of the 

 natural size. 



* Monographie der Nord-dcutschen Wealdenbildung, PI. YU.flg. 7. 



t Ibid. p. 28. 



X Equisetum Lyettii; Med. Croat, vol. i. p. 108. 



§ Fossils of Tilgate Forest.. PL [II. [II*. 



