GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



ill 



specific characters would be more obvious, and would 

 probably prove identical with those from Genesee." 

 Vide page 231, ut supra. We have no faith in 

 opinions, on matters of science at least, delivered H ex- 

 cathedra," and in this instance, the mere glance of the 

 eye of an intelligent observer at the description of the 

 fossils in question would convince him that they display 

 no characters in common with each other — there is suf- 

 ficient reason to doubt whether or not the specimens 

 figured by Professor H. from Deersfield, really belon- 

 ged to the natural order Algse, much less to the genus 

 or family fucoides — judging from the description, they 

 would appear to possess much stronger analogy to the 

 stems of dicotyledonous plants. 



The following are some of the particulars in which 

 this fossil differs from the fucoides, with which it has 

 been confounded. Viz. Stem attains to more than 

 twice the diameter, and twice the length in the for- 

 mer — its surface is moreover, uniform, without grooves 

 or wrinkles. These stems are never branched in the 

 Deerfield petrifaction, and the sandstone in which it 

 occurs is rather fine, and quite soft, and easily disinte- 

 grates — the very opposite of all this characterizes the 

 F. Brongniartii ; but what distinguishes the former, 

 or Deerfield fossil, from the fucoides above named, and 

 from all the species of algae that have come under our 

 notice, is the peculiar vestige of organization observed 

 in the stems figured by Professor H. who states, in his 

 lucid and detailed description of his petrifaction, "by 

 breaking the specimens transversely, a curious struc- 



