10 PERMIAN FOSSILS. 



SiGILLARIA (?) 



SiGiLLAKiA, King. Catalogue, p. 5, 1848. 



Specimens of the genus under consideration occasionally occur in the Lower New 

 Red Sandstone Quarry between South Shields and Westoe, but they are so very 

 imperfect as to render it impossible to say whether or not they belong to any species 

 identical with those found in the immediately subordinate Coal-measure beds.^ 



facts, as they appear to have been entirely overlooked by almost every one who has written of late on the 

 subject. It may be added, that the writer does not think any evidence has yet come to light proving 

 positively that Stigmaria is the root of Sigillaria : all that can be safely said is, that there are very strong 

 evidences in its favour : this is the view which he advocated in the " Contributions," although a more 

 decided one was taken in his previously published notices. 



' From the occurrence of true Coniferous Gymnosperms in the Carboniferous rocks of England, one is 

 induced to believe in the existence of this section of plants in the same geographical area during the 

 Permian epoch. Some years ago, the Rev. Dr. Buckland read a paper at a meeting of the Geological 

 Society, " On the Occurrence of Silicified Trunks of Large Trees in the New Red Sandstone Formation, or 

 Poikilitic Series, at Allesly, near Coventry" (vide Proceedings of the London Geological Society, vol. ii, 

 pp. 439-40), sections of which displayed the true discigerous vessels of Coniferous wood. Is the Allesly 

 Sandstone Permian or Triassic 1 



The " small fragments of carbonized wood," and " carbonaceous matter apparently derived from 

 vegetable fossils," noticed by Professor Sedgwick as occurring in " the Marl and Blue Shelly Limestone- 

 beds of Palterton and Bolsover" (vide Trans. Geol. Soc. Lond,, 2d series, vol. iii, pp. 81, l20), require to 

 be alluded to in the present place. Perhaps the "many," "long," " compressed cylindrical stems, about 

 one inch and a half in diameter, but without any external markings to indicate their origin," seen by the 

 same gentleman (Op. cit., 2d series, vol. iii, pp. 107, 120), traversing the low beds in Welsea Quarry, 

 between Nosterfield and Well, are the remains of Fucoids, — probably Caulerpa selaginoides. 



