26 
NORTH GALLERY. 
[UPPER 
BOOM I. 
Fossil Plants, — Divisions A. & B. of Case I contain Vegetable 
impressions called Alga, from their resemblance to Sea-weeds. They 
are found in rocks of all ages, and are almost the only Fossils met 
with in the very oldest strata. Division 0. of the same case contains 
plants with small whirls of leaves (Asterophyllites), from the Coal- 
shale. 
Case 2. Divisions A. & B. contain Coal-plants, called Calamites, 
with jointed stems and leaves in whirls, resembling the recent "Mare's- 
tail " (Equisetum), in appearance ; and the plants called Vertebraria, from 
the Indian Coal-field of Burdwan. Division C. is devoted to the stems 
of Tree-ferns from the Wealden and Green-sand. 
In Divisions D., E., & F. is exhibited a fine series of Oolitic Fern- 
leaves from Scarborough, in "Yorkshire ; and leaves and stems from 
the Keuper and Permian of Germany. 
On the top of Case 2 is exhibited a series of calamite stems from 
the coal of Yorkshire, and ferns from the Devonian of Ireland. 
Case 3 is entirely devoted to Fossil Ferns, obtained from the shales 
overlying beds of Coal. 
Case 4 contains the stems of Coal-plants, called Lepidodendron, from 
their scaly bark, resembling the recent Club-mosses (Lycopodiacea) ; 
but they attained the size of forest-trees. Examples of the foliage and 
fruit of these plants, contained in nodules of clay-ironstone, are placed 
in the next Case (5, A. B.). 
Case 5. In this case are arranged portions of the trunks of Fossil- 
trees, with regular furrows and impressions, called Sigillarite. They 
are found in great numbers in most coal-fields, frequently retaining 
the erect position in which they grew. 
The Fossils named Stigmaria, in this Case, and on the top of Case 
4, are the roots of the Sigillaria. They occur in the fire-clay, beneath 
seams of coal. The example over the Gallery door originally mea- 
sured 26 feet in length. 
Over Case 5 are placed examples of the opalized trunks of a species 
of Banksia from Tasmania. 
Case 6 contains, 1. Fossil Plants of the Kentish-Rag and Wealden 
strata, including a plant related to the Dragon-tree of Teneriffe ; 
Draccena Benstedi, from the Iguanodon Quarry at Maidstone. 2. Sili- 
cified stems of Palms from the West Indies, 3. Palm-leaves and palm- 
like Fruits {Nipadites), from Brabant, the wood of which was bored by 
a species of ship-worm (Teredina) now extinct. 4. Leaves of Cycadean 
plants from Scarborough, &c. 5. Fossil Fir-cones and Pine-wood, the 
latter from the cliffs on the coast of Norfolk, belonging to the Spruce 
Fir, a species which had become extinct in Britain, and has been rein- 
troduced in modern times. 
Over Case 6 are placed the silicified stems of Mantellia, plants 
related to the recent Cycas, and called " petrified crows' nests" by the 
Portland quarrymen. 
