47 



I alluded to in the beginning of this paper as mentioned in the 

 Bournemouth guide books. We read that "the remains of a 

 " submerged forest may, under certain conditions of the beach, 

 " be seen at the mouth of the valley, on the western side of the 

 " pier. This was especially the case in the early months of the 

 "year 1871, when some four or five of the remains of the trees, 

 *' of which near thirty were at one time exposed, were removed 

 " for examination, and were proved to be the Pinus Sylvestris or 

 " common fir of the district, with an occasional alder. The 

 *' condition and position of these remains prove that at some 

 ** comparatively remote period the valley extended a considerable 

 *' distance beyond its present sea board, and was covered with trees 

 ** of a similar character to those now common to the locality."* 



Of this submerged forest a detailed account has been given 

 by the late Sir Charles Lyell, in his " Principles of Geology, "f 

 The forest is said, by him, to have been laid open during a low- 

 spring tide in 1831. "It is situated between the beach and a 

 *' bar of sand about 200 yards off, and extends 50 yards along the 

 "shore, cropping out from beneath a bed of sand and shingle. 

 " It also lies in the direct line of the Bournemouth valley, from 

 ** the termination of which it is separated by 200 yards of shingle 

 " and drift sand. Down the valley flows a large brook traversing 

 " near its mouth a considerable tract of rough, boggy, and heathy 

 ** ground, producing a few birch trees and a great abundance of 

 " the Bog Myrtle (Myrica gale). In that part of the submerged 

 "peat, which was exposed at low water, were seen twenty or 

 *' more large stumps of fir, from one to two feet in height, the roots 

 "and bases of which still retain their bark. The sap wood of 

 " these is soft and spongy, but perfectly white, and exhibiting its 

 " original character; the heartwood is exceedingly hard and tough." 

 After some other details he goes on to observe that " as the sea 



* Sydenham's Guide to Bournemouth, 15th Ed., p. 76. 

 1 12th Ed., vol. il, p. 536. 



