320 Holden. — On the Anatomy of 
bearing on the question of the identity of Cordaites and Noeggevathiopsis. 
The latter genus was founded by Feistmantel for leaves which are similar to 
Cordaites , but differ in certain details of nervation. It occurs in the chief 
Gondwana formations — India, S. America, and New South Wales, and has 
been cited as one of the examples of the difference between northern and 
southern floras in Permo-Carboniferous times. Recently there has been 
a tendency to merge this genus with Cordaites. A discussion of the" pros 
and cons of the situation is given by Arber 1 and Zalessky, 2 which it is not 
necessary to repeat. It is sufficient to note here that the anatomy of this 
Indian stem, which probably bore Noeggerathiopsis leaves, indicates that 
the two genera are very closely allied, but not identical. 
Dadoxylon bengalense, sp. nov. 
The second stem is from the East Indian Coal Company’s colliery at 
Brahmanbarari in the Jharia coalfield, Bengal. Its source indicates that 
it is of Barakar (Permo-Carboniferous) age. The cross-section is slightly 
oval, due probably to the pressure to which the stem was subjected ; the 
greatest diameter is 4 inches, and the length of the smallest of the three 
pieces, 5^ inches. Their great weight is very noticeable, the specific 
gravity being 3-6, and in this connexion the following excerpt from a letter 
by Mr. Fermer of the Indian Geological Survey is of interest : 
4 The specimen was tested chemically by Mr. G. G. Narke, a student 
from Nagpur, working in the Geological Survey Laboratory, and found to 
consist mainly of iron carbonate, with a certain amount of manganese, 
calcium, and magnesium. The specific gravity of siderite, as given by 
Dana, is 3*83-3-88. There is no doubt that the substance in which the 
wood is fossilized is siderite, and the somewhat lower specific gravity of the 
specimen as compared with true siderite is probably to be explained as due 
to the cavities that the fossil is seen to contain in places when examined in 
thin sections under the microscope. It is probable that the substances 
other than iron, present in the specimen, in part isomorphously replace some 
of the iron of the chalybite. But from the appearance of one of the sections 
under reflected light, I should think that a portion at least of the manganese 
is present in the form of manganese oxide filling interspaces in the fossil. 
It is to be noticed that the colour of the specimens as examined in hand 
specimens is black. It has not been determined whether this colour is due 
to such mechanically included manganese oxide or to mechanically 
distributed free carbon remaining from the original wood.’ 
With this description of its external appearance, we may pass on to 
consider its internal structures. Unfortunately the pith and tissues imme- 
diately around it have disappeared, so that it is impossible to obtain any 
1 Arber (1905). 
2 Zalessky (1912). 
