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CASH AND HICK I NOTES ON TRAQU AIRIA . 
NOTES ON TRAQU AIKIA. BY W. CASH AND THOS. HICK. 
In the Halifax Hard Seam are found certain minute globular 
organisms, which are ornamented with branching muricated 
processes. These bodies were described by Mr. Carruthers, 
F.R.S., in 1872, who assigned to them the generic name of 
Traquairia, and concluded that their affinities were with the 
Radiolarian group of animals. At the British Association 
meeting, held at Dublin, in August, 1878, Professor W, C. 
"Williamson, F.R.S., read a paper on these forms, in which he 
pointed out "that in some examples there were contained 
capsular membranes which were filled with cells that bore 
every indication of being vegetable tissues, being absolutely 
undistinguishable from similar cells found in the interior of 
macrospores, and of cryptogamic sporocarps found associated 
with the Traquairia" The conclusion arrived at in the 
paper is that the organisms in question belong to the 
vegetable kingdom, and represent a cryptogamic form of 
reproductive structure. Professor Haeckel, of Jena, to whom 
specimens were submitted for examination, confirms the view 
that they are not allied to the Badiolarians. It has been 
our good fortune, through the kindness of Mr. Binns, of 
Halifax, to obtain two microscopic slides which throw con- 
siderable light on the nature of Traquairia, and, indeed, it is 
not too much to say that they conclusively attest the 
correctness of Professor W. C. Williamson's decision as to 
their vegetable affinities. As it is the intention of Professor 
Williamson to figure and describe the most perfect of our 
specimens in his forthcoming 11th memoir, " On the Organi- 
zation of the Fossil Plants of the Coal Measures," we will 
content ourselves for the present by simply stating that the 
enclosure of Traquairia within a sporangium wall is the 
chief feature which renders our specimens of value as 
evidence in favour of the view that they are vegetable and 
not animal organisms. 
