306 



DK. J. W. DAWSON ON" NEW 



The species above described add to the number of small and 

 delicate Ferns by which the St.-J ohn beds are so especially charac- 

 terized. 



Specimens from Scotland and Australia. 



JEtheotesta devonica, sp. n. (PL XII. figs. 14, 14 a.) 



Fruit 4 millim. in diameter, oval in cross section. Testa less 

 than 1 millim. in thickness, and consisting of radiating fibres. 

 Nucleus represented by white mineral matter with coaly specks. 

 The specimen shows only a cross section ; but there seems no reason 

 to doubt that it is the seed of the above genus of C. Brongniart *, 

 hitherto found only in the Coal-formation of France. It may be 

 referred to Taxinece, and may have been the seed of trees of the 

 genus Dadoxylon. 



The specimen is in grey sandstone, associated with fragments of 

 carbonized plants. It was collected by the Rev. Thomas "Bodun, of 

 Edinburgh, in the Old Red Sandstone of Perthshire, where it is asso- 

 ciated with Lycopodites Milleri and Psilopliyta. 



DlCRANOPHYLLTJM ATJSTRALICTTM, sp. n. (PL XIII. figS. 15 & 16.) 



Stem slender, 3 millim. in diameter, not tapering in a length of 

 3 inches. It is marked with minute, narrow, elongated leaf-bases, 

 spirally arranged. Leaves linear, 3 millim. long, bifurcating at an 

 obtuse angle at their extremities. 



The specimen is in white sandstone and is well preserved. It 

 was collected by Mr. R. L. Jack, F.G-.S., of the Geological Survey of 

 Queensland, in sandstones associated with limestone, on Panning 

 River, Burdekin, Queensland. The horizon is said to be under the 

 Mt.-Wyatt and Star beds, and consequently lower than that of the 

 plants collected by Mr. Daintree, and described by Mr. Carruthers 

 in the Journal of this Society. 



The genus Dicranophyllum was established by Grand'Euryf for 

 certain plants of the French Coal-fields, which, though larger and 

 better-developed than the present species, must have been some- 

 what similar. Grand'Eury regards these plants as probably 

 Coniferous. 



The plants described in this paper are fragmentary and imperfect, 

 but they add six or seven types to the Erian flora, and encourage 

 the hope that all the Carboniferous genera may yet be recognized in 

 the older formation, together with others peculiar to itself, thus 

 tending to vindicate the opinion expressed in a former paper that 

 the plant-life of the Devonian was more varied or less monotonous 

 than that of the Coal-formation. 



Supplementary Note. 



As some delay has occurred in the publication of the above paper, 

 I may be permitted to add the following : — 



(1) In my paper on Devonian Tree-ferns in the ' Quarterly 

 \ * Annales cles Sciences Naturelles, vol. xx. t Flore Carbonilere. 



