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HAEDWICKE'S SCIENCE-G OSSIF. 



is the supposed bark, was distinctly traced for about 

 6 feet underneath the surface, and this evidently 

 marked out the position of the root in that plane. 

 No. i8. Was only an impression, the tree itself having 

 been broken up before being perceived, but the 

 impression was very plain and distinct indeed, and 

 this is remarkable as being the only one, or traces of 

 one, which has been found otherwise than in an 

 upright position. No. 19. Had a very singular 

 appearance (as the trunk for about 4 feet appeared 

 as if it had been subjected to great pressure before 

 "being filled in and collapsed) and was of a very 

 irregular shape, although the top was perfectly round 

 and appeared as if it had been forced from the bottom 

 part, which it overhung at least 12 inches. No. 20. 

 In this tree were found several small ones (or branches) 

 Avhich were filled up similarly to the large trees, but 

 the bark was perfectly petrified, and with the solid 

 filling-in formed cylinders. In all other cases (except 

 "No. 25) I have not been able to find any markings of 

 wood, but the bark from the small branches (?) ob- 

 :tained from this specimen is very beautifully marked, 

 and shows the woody structure very beautifully. The 

 general appearance of the section of this tree was very 

 peculiar, as it was filled in (in the spaces not occupied 

 by the branches) with sandstone and pieces of char- 

 •coal. The charcoal could be pulverised between the 

 fingers just as easily as if freshly burned ; in fact, the 

 whole section had very much the appearance of a 

 section of plum-pudding. No. 24. About 6 feet from 

 the bottom, had a bulging out as if there had been a 

 branch, but no traces of the branch could be found. 

 mo. 25. The whole trunk had a step-like appearance, 

 and branches (?) were found on it, which showed the 

 markings of wood as plainly as those found in No. 20. 

 No. 27. Had a projection as if a branch had joined 

 at that place, but I could find no traces of the branch 

 itself. No. 32. Had the appearance of having 

 •been subjected to pressure, which had caused the 

 outer parts of the trunk to give way, for in one place it 

 was not more than 9" diameter, and was oval in form 

 instead of being round. Nos. 17 : 18 : 28 : 29 : 30 : 

 32 : 33 : and 36 were all marl inside. Nos. 19 : 20 : 21 : 

 24 : 31 : 34 and 35 were partially petrified. Nos. 22 : 

 J23 : 25 : 26 and 27 were completely petrified. The 

 .bark of the trees, which is represented by coal, was 

 about \" thick, and in almost every case was marked 

 in the same manner, with longitudinal parallel mark- 

 ings, and in no case was I able to detect any distinct 

 signs or scars, where branches had been ; although 

 in some cases there appeared to be places where they 

 might have been. — JViii. Hanipion, F.C.S. 



The Geology of Cornwall.— At a recent 

 •meeting of the Geological Society, Prof. Bonney 

 •described the metamorphic series, chiefly charac- 

 .terised by hornblendic schist, which occupies the 

 -southern portion of the Lizard, and an extensive tract 

 .to the north of the serpentine region, besides some 



more limited areas. He found that this series was 

 separable into a lower or micaceous group — schists 

 with various green minerals (often a variety of 

 hornblende), or with brownish mica ; a middle or 

 hornblendic group, characterised by black horn- 

 blende ; and an upper or granulitic group, charac- 

 terised by bands of quartz-felspar rock, often 

 resembling in appearance a vein-granite. These are 

 all highly metamorphosed ; yet the second and third 

 occasionally retain to a remarkable extent indications 

 of the minuter bedding structures, such as alternating 

 lamination and current bedding of various kinds. 

 They form, in the author's opinion, one continuous 

 series, of which the uppermost is the thinnest. The 

 general strike of the series, though there are many 

 variations, is either N.W. or W.N.W. The junctions 

 of the Palaeozoic with the metamorphic series at 

 Polurrian and at Porthalla were described. These 

 are undoubtedly faulted ; and the two rocks differ 

 greatly, the former being a slate like any ordinary 

 Palaeozoic rock, the other a highly metamorphosed 

 schist. Moreover, fragments of the hornblende schist 

 and a kind of gneiss occur in a conglomerate in the 

 former, S. of Kare Point. The author considers the 

 metamorphic series (the microscopic structure of 

 which was fully described) undoubtedly Archaean, 

 and probably rather early in that division. The 

 rocks of the micaceous group have considerable 

 resemblance to the greenish and lead-coloured schists 

 of Holyhead Island and the adjoining mainland of 

 Anglesey, and of the Menai Strait. Two outlying 

 areas of serpentine, omitted in his former paper, 

 were described — one at Polkerris, the other at 

 Porthalla. The latter shows excellent junctions, and 

 is clearly intrusive in the schist. The author stated 

 that he had re-examined a large part of the district 

 described in his former paper, and had obtained 

 additional evidence of the intrusion of the serpentine 

 into the sedimentary rock with which it is associated. 

 This evidence is of so strong a nature that he could 

 not conceive the possibility of any one who would 

 carefully examine the district for himself entertaining 

 a doubt upon the matter. 



Stomata in Fossil Plants.— Can any of your 

 correspondents tell me where I can find any account 

 of stomata having been observed in sections of fossil 

 plants of any Palaeozoic age ? My friend, Mr. West 

 of Bradford, has a coal section showing stomata very 

 prettily, but it is the only one I have seen. — H, M., 

 Sidciip, Kent. 



Glacial drift in Birmingham.— An interesting 

 paper on a section of Glacial drift recently exposed 

 in Icknield Street, Birmingham, recently appeared in 

 the " Proceedings of the Birmingham Philosophical 

 Society," by Dr. H. W. Crosskey, F.G.S. The 

 illustrations (which are very graphic) show the un- 

 bedded boulders very strikingly. 



