31 
A 
valido, prominente ; nervis secundariis prominentibus, subangulis acutis 
orientibus, inter se rcmotis, snbflexuosis, marginem versus attenuatis ; nervis 
tertiariis angulo subrecto exeuntibus flexuosis, ramosis et inter se conjunctis, 
rote tenerrimum includentibus. 
Obs.—A fragment of a leaf, whose venation, fortunately, is so well 
preserved that its determination is quite possible. The texture of the leaf, 
according to the impression, appears to he coriaceous. A restoration of the 
fragment at both ends woidd give the leaf an oblong form. The margin has 
heen preserved in two places only, and if restored would appear at least 
undulato-lobate, hut otherwise entire. The lohate character of the leaf may 
he regarded as certain from the casually preserved incision in the margin on 
one side. The portion of the margin preserved on the opposite side enables 
us to recognise its undulate character. The venation of the mere middle 
portion of a leaf at hand shows a strongly prominent midrib, from which the 
secondary veins proceed at rather considerable distances from one another, 
forming angles of 50° to 60°. The secondary veins are prominent, not 
rectilinear, hut somewhat flexuose. In the specimen before us there is 
present on one side a stronger and longer secondary vein, which at the place 
of fracture appears as if it were proceeding towards a lobe, and may most 
probably be regarded as craspedodromic. On the other side, a shorter camp- 
todromic secondary vein is perfectly preserved. At the lower end of the leaf 
fragment may he observed on either side a much liner secondary vein, in 
closer proximity to a stronger one, with which it alternates. At an equal 
distance downwards, again, a stronger secondary vein may he traced ; for 
these two lesser distances added together about equal the distance between 
the stronger secondary veins. The much liner tertiary veins proceed from 
both sides of the secondary veins at almost right angles, are flexuose, 
branching, and often conjoined, and enclosed by these lies a very line net, 
composed of square meshes, as shown in the enlargement of the venation, 
Pig. 4 a. 
Prom a consideration of the above described characters, it does not 
seem too hazardous to assign the leaf fragment before us to the genus 
Quercus , since no other genus is known in which, as regards venation, lorm, 
and texture, there is discernible such a striking resemblance with the described 
fossil as in Quercus stellata, Wangenh., (Ph, A II, figs. 1 and 3), and Q. 
bicolor, Willd. I therefore hold these two North American oaks to be the 
nearest living relatives of the Q. Tasmcinii. 
