1824.] Submarine forest in the Frith of lay. 291 



which I now offer to the consideration of the Royal Society of 

 Edinburgh, aware of its impropriety, but urged by the wish to 

 connect similar phenomena by the common terms employed in 

 their description. 



The bed of peat to be described, and now dignified by the 

 title of a Submarine Fared, occurs on the south bank of the 

 Frith of Tay, and has been observed in detached portions on the 

 west side of Flisk Beach, to the extent of nearly three miles, and 

 on the east side, upwards of seven miles. At this particular 

 place, to which the following observations chiefly apply, it rests 

 upon a bed of clay of unknown depth. This clay is of a grey 

 colour, much mixed with mica, and in some places with grains 

 of quartz, and resembles the carse ground on the opposite side 

 of the Frith, or the contents of the sand-banks which obstruct 

 its channel. The upper portion of this clay has been penetrated 

 by numerous roots, which are now changed into peat, and some 

 of them even into iron pyrites. The surface of this bed is hori- 

 zontal, and situate nearly on a level with low water-mark. In 

 this respect, however, it varies a little in different places. The 

 peat-bed occurs immediately above this clay. It consists of the 

 remains of the leaves, stems, and roots, of various common 

 plants, of the natural orders Equisetacese, Graminea?, and Cype- 

 racea?, mixed with roots, leaves, and branches of birch, hazel, 

 and probably also alder. Hazel nuts, destitute of kernel, are of 

 frequent occurrence. All these vegetable remains are much 

 depressed or flattened, where they occur in a horizontal position, 

 but, where vertical, they retain their original rounded form. 

 The peat can be easily separated into thin layers, the surface of 

 each covered with leaves. The lowest portion of this peat is of 

 a browner colour than the superior layers ; the texture likewise 

 is more compact, and the vegetable remains more obliterated. 

 The peat contains a good deal of earthy matter. 



The surface of this bed of peat is nowhere (that I have 

 detected) covered by any alluvial stratum, nor does it occur at a 

 hio-her level than four or five feet below high water-mark. 

 Towards the shore it seems to be cut off by the old red alluvial 

 clay, on which the newer grey, or carse clay also rests. 



The only circumstance of much interest, in reference to this 

 peat-bed, remains to be stated. Upon its surface may be 

 perceived the stumps of trees, with the roots attached, and 

 evidently occupying the position in which they formerly grew ; 

 as the roots are observed to spread, subdivide, and penetrate the 

 bed in their usual natural manner. 1 have counted at one time, 

 after a favourable tide had cleared away all silt and gravel from 

 the surface;, upwards of a score of those roots, situate at unequal 

 distances from one another, but all, by the position and arrange- 

 ment of their roots, demonstrating that such had been, while 

 growing, their original situation. To prevent any suspicion from 

 arising, that 1 may have been deceived on this subject, I may 



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