File:The Quarterly journal of the Geological Society of London (13365388704).jpg

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PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. .NoV. /,
/. The next erect trees are found 164 feet higher up, in the sand-
stone No. 163 ; here we have two large fluted Sigillarise, 24 inches
in diameter and 5 feet in height, standing only eight feet apart : they
enlarge rapidly towards their bases, and were probably rooted on the
surface of the three-inch coal Xo. 161, but being very near the high-
water line the surf has washed out the soft, argillaceous shale Xo. 162
from under the stems, and obliterated all traces of roots.
TTe now arrive at a group of strata, the lowest only 28 feet above
the preceding, exceedingly rich in upright trees, all standing in view
together at six distinct levels within a vertical height of 52 feet.
ff. The first in the series are three large trunks in the shale X'o. 1 75,
apparently 30 inches in diameter ; they are situated too high up in
the cliff to be examined properly ; they all bulge out as they descend.
and seem to terminate downwards in the argillaceous shale above the
coal X"o. 172.
h. Some of the trees in the beds Xos. 183 and 185 have been already
described in the Journal of the Society* ; but since that description
was written, owing to the constant wasting of the chfPs, several new
trees have been exposed, particularly a fine fluted Sigillaria, 18 inches
in diameter (seen in fig. 7), ^ith strong roots penetrating down-
wards at an angle of 45"^, and piercing through the three-inch layer
of mixed coal and shale X"o. 182.
i and Jc. In the arenaceous shale X'o. 183, several small Sigillariae
are found at two distinct levels, some being rooted about the middle
of the bed and others near the top. They have Stigmaria roots with
rootlets, which, as before mentioned, have already been described in
this Journal f.
l. Two small SigillariEe occur in bed X'o. 185 : Stigmaria roots are
seen near them, but not in actual contact.
7n. The shale roof Xo. 189 of the Main Coal has famished a great
number of upright trees with long spreading roots and rootlets, which
it is not necessary to enumerate here, three of the most interesting
having been described at length in the Journal, viz. a Lepidoden-
dron;.; with Srigmaria-like roots, and two curious specimens of Sigil-
laria alternans%. I may observe that Sigillarise appear to be the
most common, but I have never seen any larger than 14 inches in
diameter.
Vol. ii. p. 393.
t Hid.
Vol. iv. p. 46,