134 Bower. — Eusporangiates and Leptosporangiates. 
Lycopodineous series, for, while not distinctly referable to 
either of them, it shows affinities to both of them as well as 
to the Cycads. Thus, whatever other strength the view of 
the Eusporangiate, as the more primitive type for Ferns, may 
possess, it appears to me to have the effect of making the 
phylogeny of vascular plants more intelligible, and of har- 
monising it better with palaeophytology than the converse 
opinion, which most botanists have hitherto been accustomed 
to hold. 
DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES IN PLATE VII. 
Illustrating Professor Bower’s paper on Ferns. 
Figs. 1-5 represent sporangia found in sections of nodules from the coal of 
Halifax and Oldham; 1-4. are from slides belonging to Prof. Williamson; 
5. from a slide belonging to Mr. Carruthers. The cabinet numbers are those 
of Prof. Williamson’s Catalogue. 
a — annulus, d — point of dehiscence, i = internal cells, x = granular film . 
Fig. 1. A young sporangium, showing the internal layer very distinctly, and 
filled with the remains of immature spores. (Cabinet number, 1875.) 
Fig. 2. An older sporangium which has probably ruptured at d and lost its 
spores. (Cabinet number, 1020.) 
Fig. 3. A mature sporangium showing point of dehiscence ( d ) and internal 
cells. (Cabinet number, 1292.) 
Fig. 4. A mature sporangium with spores still contained in it, the granular 
film (jt) may be traced for a considerable distance lining the wall : the number of 
spores in the section is over 70. (Cabinet number, 1875.) 
Fig. 5. Portion of a sporangium from Oldham showing internal cells (f) : 
( x i5°0 
Fig. 6. Sporangium of Todea barbara in longitudinal section ; (x 150.) 
Figs. 7, 8. Sections of the same in oblique directions, chosen so as to match 
Fig. 3 as nearly as possible : the position of the figures on the plate, as well as the 
lettering, correspond to those of Fig. 3 : (x 150.) 
