KILMARNOCK, GALSTON, AND KILWINNING COAL FIELDS, AYRSHIRE. 319 



longitudinally. There is no trace of a central vein. On the specimen figured, the whorls 

 are 1*5 centimetres broad, and from *5 to '6 centimetres long. The bracts are as long as 

 the internodes, but do not overlap. Their upper portion is free, but they seem to be 

 united to each other in their lower part. In the other specimen, which is slightly 

 broader, the whorls are nearly 2 centimetres broad, but scarcely "6 centimetres long. The 

 axis, which is partially seen in this example, is nearly 1 centimetre broad ; the internodes 

 are therefore broader than long. None of these fossils show in what way the sporangia were 

 attached to the axis. The cones now described are similar to those figured in error by 

 Lindley and Htttton under the name of Asterophyllites tuberculatus. It is essentially 

 distinct from Stachannularia tuberculata, Sternb., sp., which I have never seen in 

 Britain except in the Upper Coal Measures, where it occurs with Annularia stellata, of 

 which it is the fruit. 



In the collection of the British Museum there is a fine example from Felling Colliery, 

 Northumberland (Lower Coal Measures), which, though its apex is wanting, measures 

 9J inches in length and shows thirty-seven whorls of bracts, which on an everage are 

 I inch long. The bracts on this example are not individually well shown, but there 

 must be about thirty in a whorl. 



Stachannularia (?) Northumbriana has a superficial resemblance to Macrostachya 

 Hauckecornei, Weiss,* but is easily distinguished by its short bracts, which do not end 

 in long lanceolate points. The Kilmarnock specimens are well preserved, so the absence 

 on them of the long setaceous point cannot result from imperfect preservation. 



Not knowing the arrangement of the sporangia, one cannot be certain of the genus 

 to which the cone I now describe should be referred, but from its general appearances I 

 refer it provisionally to Stachannularia, Weiss. 



Locality. — Bonnyton Pit, Kilmarnock. 

 Horizon. — Above Whistler Coal. 



Filicaceae. 



Urnatopteris, Kidston. 



Urnatopteris tenella, Brongt., sp. 



Sphenopteris tenella, Brongt., Hist, d. vege't. foss., p. 186, pi. xlix. fig. 1. 



Eusphenoptei-is tenella, Kidston, Proc. Roy. Phys. Soc. Edin., vol. vii. p. 129, pi. i. figs. 1-6. 



Eusphenopteris tenella, Kidston, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 5, vol. x. p. 7, pi i. figs. 1-6. 



Urnatopteris tenella, Kidston, Trans. Geol. Soe. Lond., vol. xl. p. 594, 1884. 



Sphenopteris, Lebour, Illustr. of Fossil Plants, pi. xxxix. 



Note. — Rare in the Coal Field. 

 Locality. — Grange Colliery, Kilmarnock. 

 Horizon. — Shale above Stranger Coal. 



* SteinJcohlen Galamarien, vol. ii. p. 196, pi. xix. fig. 4. 



