Mr Witbatn'g Description of the Craigleith Fossil Tree. 21^ 



ART* IIL-^ Description of a Fossil Tree, discovered in the Quarry 

 of Craigleithy near Edinburgh. By Henry With am, Esq. <5f 

 Partington, F.G.S. &c-* 



(Head before fcfee Hoyal Society ot Edinburgh.) 



1^ the month of November last, a magnificent fossil stem tv^as 

 discovered in Craigleith quarry. In geological position, it id 

 situate in the mountain limestone group, considerably below the 

 great coal basins of the Lothians. In the part of the quarry in 

 which the fossil was found, the strata incline to the N.N.E. one 

 foot in four and a half. This part of the quarry, from unknowil 

 fcatiSes, assumes a trough-like shape, ^ — the one side dipping at 

 an angle of 20 deg. to the south, and the other, at an angle of 

 20 degrees to the north ; and at the bottom of this trough lie the 

 roots of this splendid fossil, very much truncated, probably by 

 abrasion. The length of the stem, from the highest point 

 discovered, to the root, was forty-seven feet. The diameter of 

 the highest part being one foot seven inches, by one foot four 

 inches, it appears quite evident, that many feet of the top part of 

 the stem must have been taken away unobserved, ere it attracted 

 the notice of the public. The superincumbent mass must have been 

 above one hundred feet thick. The tree presents the appear- 

 ance of a large branchless trunk, in some parts greatly flattened, 

 so as to form an elliptical section. The higher part was the 

 least flattened. The stem tapers gradually, and is marked, at 

 irregular intervals, with transverse ridges, or irregular promi- 

 nences. The bark, as is usual, has been converted into coal, and 

 pr-esents indistinct longitudinal markings, with very small trans*- 

 verse rugae. At some of the prominences, the rugae are contorted 

 in the same manner as they are round the origins of the branches 

 in various pines. 



The usual way of accounting for such flatteniiigs, as were found 

 in this tree, is by pressure ; although, in the present case, where 

 the tree is not parallel to the strata, it is rather difiicult to sup- 

 pose its form to be owing to that cause. The pressure by loose 

 sand, or by sand mixed with water, would act all round the stem, 

 aiid so would not flatten it ; but, if we suppose that the tree, in 

 its recent state, was carried along by a torrent of water and sand, 

 and left sticking, as the latter consolidated, it would afterwards 

 begin to decay, and then the hardened strata would naturally 

 press down upon it, and so produce the flattening ; and those parts 



♦ This remarkable fossil has already been noticed in a former number df this 

 Jburnal ; but any communication from the pen of Mr Witham, who has identified 

 his name with this branch of geology, will, we feel assured, be acceptable to our 

 readers. We are indebted to this gentleman for a notice of another fossil tree which 

 has been recently discovered near Dalkeith. See Geological Collections, infra. 



Since the above article was in the press, the lower part of the trunk and roots of 

 the magnificent Craigleith fossil have been removed from the quarry ; and, no doubt, 

 with very liberal intentions, have been presented to the Botanic Garden, while the 

 other part of the tree is deposited in the University Museum. — Ed. 



