75 



PLATE XXXVII. 



Sphenopieris alciphylla. 



Phill. MS. 



Nothing need be added to the following letter of the 

 late Professor John Phillips, the first part of which 

 relates to this fossil. The rest will be welcome, it is 

 thought, to all connected with Newcastle-on-Tyne, or 

 interested in the British Association : — 



York, 26th April, 1837. 



My Deak Huttcxn, 



I think it probable that the little favourite fossil plant, of 

 which I send a drawing and enlargement [our Plate is a fac-simile of this 

 original drawing by Professor Phillips], will win your affection, and 

 cause Lindley no trouble. The specimen was found in sinking a Pit on 

 the North-west side of the Eiver Lune, near Oughton, in the series of 

 Millstone Grit Eocks, near a thin bed of coal, worked to some considerable 

 extent, on the Eiver Lune. With this Coal, which corresponds to that 

 of Tan Hill, Pea Hill, Colsterdale, Penyghent, &c, as described in 

 my work on the geology of Yorkshire, Vol. 2, occur Lepidodendron, 

 Stigmaria, traces of ferns, Calamites, etc. At some distance above it are 

 Goniatites, Posidoniaa, and many other marine shells, some Crinoids, 

 Corals, etc. 



The plant lies in a sandy laminated rock, here called Shiver (sandy 

 shale) ; its substance is coal ; the state of Conservation admirable. Its 

 structure, etc., will be fully apparent to you from the drawing, which is 

 of the natural size, and the enlargements. I never like to cause em- 

 barassment on the subject of names, else I might propose for the plant 

 the specific name of Alciphylla, from the odd resemblance to an elk's horn 

 which the leaf exhibits. It is in the possession of Mr. Webster, of 

 Lancaster, who made the experiments for coal, and is kept by him as a 

 specimen of the Eocks sunk through, else I should have been allowed to 

 transfer it to York, 



