246 Messrs. E. W. Binney and R. Harkness's Account of 



the successful use of the pickaxe, so that none of them were 

 traced to their termination. 



All the roots were surrounded throughout their whole length 

 with a coaly bark, but like that which covered the stem, it ad- 

 hered so firmly to the matrix, that in general, when the roots 

 were laid bare, they presented a decorticated appearance. 

 The upper surface of the decorticated roots was marked with 

 irregular and interrupted ribs and furrows, which diverged on 

 each side of lines parallel to the longitudinal axis of the root, 

 as observed in the fossil trees of Dixon Fold. Several slight 

 depressions traversed the upper sides of the roots in a diagonal 

 direction to the ribs and furrows, these resembled impressions 

 produced by long grass-like fibres having laid upon the roots; 

 circular impressions occurred similar to those seen on the 

 large stems of Stigmaria. From each of these impressions 

 issued the long fibrous appendages which have been termed 

 leaves. These fibrils wei-e met with in the matrix all round 

 the roots, but they occurred much more abundantly on the 

 under than on the upper sides, and were in general less fre- 

 quent on the higher parts. These appendages were cylindri- 

 cal, and when not compressed, about a quarter of an inch in 

 diameter; their length must have been very great, for at the 

 distance of three or four feet from the root, ihey were not found 

 to decrease in thickness : they occur abundantly throughout 

 the whole depth of the warren, which is seventeen yards in 

 thickness, so that it is not improbable that these appendages 

 may be at least equal in length to those described by Mr. 

 Steinhauer. These appendages were covered by a carbona- 

 ceous envelope, and some of them appeared to afford traces of 

 a small internal cylinder. 



The deposit all around the tree abounded in various coal 

 plants ; these, for the most part, consisted of leaves of the Pe- 

 copteris nervosa^ sometimes adhering to their rachis, Calamites, 

 Asterophyllites, Lepidostrobus, Lepidodendron, species of 

 Neuropteris and Cyclopteris. The Calamites appeared in great 

 abundance, and in several instances specimens were obtained 

 which appeared to have their bases in contact with the main 

 roots, before they assume the Stigmaria character, in such a 

 manner as almost to induce the observers to believe that they 

 had some intimate connection with the tree. 



In removing the encasing matter from the eastern side of 

 the large tree, another was discovered about five feet distant, 

 and due east from the large tree ; occurring further on the dip 

 than the other, it appeared rather lower in position, but in 

 reality its base was about one foot six inches higher before 

 the strata were inclined. Of this tree only one foot seven inches 



