SPECIMENS OF FOSSIL WOODS IN NATAL MTTSEUM. 367 



Some of the samples do not exhibit the structure ot" wood 

 in the hand specimen. They have a shining pitch-like 

 aspect, and are singularly tough and cloggy to saw. The 

 hardness, as tested by the mineral scale, is about o'25 for the 

 firmer samples of the wood. The pitch-like substance is 

 somewhat softer, having a hardness of about 2"75. 



A glance at a section of the fossilized wood at once 

 demonstrates its dicotyledonous nature, since pitted vessels 

 are conspicuously present. 



At first it was thought to be almost impossible to identify 

 the wood ; but accidentally it was noticed that the general 

 texture of the fossil wood recalled that of the Water Boom 

 (Eugenia cor data Laws) . A section of thi s wood revealed 

 the fact that the fossil wood certainly belonged to this genus, 

 !ind almost certainly to this species. 



The following is the description of the w^ood of the Water 

 Boom given by Stone ^ as far as it concerns the fossil wood. 



"Natural order — Myrtacea?. Dry weight 601b. per cubic 

 foot (sp. gr. 0'962). Hardness like that of English elm. 

 Very fine compact grain, dense and even. Surface dull. 

 Pores variable, about the size of those of the beech or apple, 

 nearly all single, pairs very rare ; 11-20 per sq. mm. Rays 

 thick in the middle, tapering above and below to fine ends, 

 size comparable to those of Blue Grum ; ' middles ' and 

 ^ ends' 18-26 per mm.; direct, not avoiding the pores. 

 Annual rings apparently clear; boundary? a zone of pore- 

 less Avood at intervals. Wood parenchyma very abundant, 

 occupying half the transverse surface ; independent of the 

 pores." 



This description agrees with a sample of Water Boom wood 

 in the Museum with the exception that there is no really 

 poreless wood, and the wood parenchyma is by no means very 

 abundant. This parenchyma consists of irregular clusters of 

 comparatively thin-walled cells of about twice the diameter 

 of a wood fibre. 



' Stone. Herbert, • The Timhevs of Coiiimevce,' p. 134. Ltmdon, 19( Jo. 



