93 
liavc a more or less striking resemblance with tlie described fossil. We shall 
see whether either of the genera mentioned can come into consideration relating 
to its determination. The pinnoc of Aspidium spectabile, Kunze, possess 
lobes resembling those of the fossil, but the secondary nerves are already 
forked at their base, therefore the branchlets lengthen. Aspidium alsophila- 
ceuni, Kunze, and A. monostichum , Kunze, have lobes of the pinnae which are 
very similar in form and size to those of our fossil, but the borders are entire, 
and the secondary nerves simple. Other species of the same genus, notwith- 
standing that their form and nervation of the pinnae resemble our species 
more or less, show an anadrome arrangement of the secondary nerves. More 
distantly comparable are Cyathea and Alsophila. Only C. ebenica, Karst., 
and A. nitida, Kunze, might perhaps be mentioned as having in some degree 
a similarity to the fossil. But in the former the angles of divergence of the 
lobes are more obtuse ; in the latter the secondary nerves are mostly un- 
divided. While we have ascertained that the above named genera give in one 
or the other respect too few arguments to render their affinity with the 
described fossil probable, we find on the other hand, that several species of 
Pteris have the most remarkable likeness to it, and therefore we do not 
doubt that it is a fragment of the sterile frond of a Pteris. Of the living 
species of this genus the following are more or less closely allied to the fossil. 
Pteris coriacea, Desv., a native of Peru, P. tenuis, Cunningh., from New Zea- 
land, P. tremula, 11. Brown, from Australia, and especially P. arguta, Valil, 
from the Azores and Canary Islands. (Ettingsliausen, Earnkrauter, PI. LY, 
fig. 5 ; PI. LVIII, figs. 1, 2 ; PL LX, figs. 7, 9 ; PI. LXII, fig. 3.) 
Of the already described fossil species, Pteris sitkensis, Ilcer, from 
the Tertiary of Alaska and Greenland, is very closely allied to Pteris 
Torresi. The latter differs only by more obtuse angles of divergence of the 
secondary nerves. Less closely related is P. frigida, Ilcer, from the Atanc 
beds of Greenland, which possesses longer and narrower pinnulae. Closely 
allied to our fossil amongst the European Tertiary species is Pteris bilinica, 
Ettingsliausen, which only differs by more diverging lobes with entire borders. 
Erom P. Humei, Ett., the present species differs, by the secondary nerves 
being closer to one another, as well as by the more distinctly dentate borders 
of the lobes. 
Locality and Horizon . — Between Hill and Watson’s shafts, in white 
pipeclay, from the old Bose Valley Lead (stanniferous) on the main Vege- 
table Creek Deep Lead, Emmaville (Vegetable Creek Township). 
