19 



PLATE IX. 



Asterophyllites. Sp. 



With regard to this very curious specimen, Hutton, 

 in whose collection it is still to be seen (see " Catalogue," 

 p. 24), remarks, on sending it to Dr. Lindley, " A, No. 

 12 [the specimen in question] is probably of this Class 

 [Calamites] ; but I don't know what to say of the club at 

 the summit." (Hutton MSS.) 



With all deference to Hutton it would appear that the 

 u club," which gives the fossil its singular appearance, is 

 the terminal whorl of an Asterophyllitic branchlet, the 

 leaves of which have closed together like the hairs of a 

 wet paint-brush, somewhat in the manner shown in the 

 longer-leaved species in Plate VI. Of the lower whorls 

 at the nodes of the unusually straight stem no trace is to 

 be found, and it is possible that the clavate appearance 

 of the summit may be due to the presence of fructifica- 

 tion concealed by the whorl of short leaves. A specific 

 determination in this case would be obviously impossible. 



The specimen (in two corresponding pieces) was found 

 in the shale roof of the Bensham coal-seam, Jarrow 

 Colliery. It is of the same size as the Plate. 



The original drawing is by Prior. 



