1 82 THE PALMS OF THE AKCIENT WORLD. 



these fruits, which are found to be portions of 

 the trunks of pahns, firs, and dicotyledonous 

 trees. So abundant are these fruits at this spot 

 that they may readily be collected in quantity. 

 The cliffs, which are in some places two hundred 

 feet high, are from their soft nature continually 

 being undermined by the action of the waves ; 

 and as fresh portions are thus continually fulling, 

 their inclosed fossils are exposed on the beach. 

 They are all of a blackish colour, partly from 

 the clay in which they have been buried, and 

 partly from being strongly impregnated with 

 iron pyrites. In consequence of this latter cir- 

 cumstance, they generally decompose when 

 allowed to remain exposed to the air, and fall to 

 pieces. The best means of preventing this is 

 to cover them, after being well wiped, with two 

 or three coats of good varnish, which will effec- 

 tually preserve them. The palm fruits are 

 often five to seven inches long, and are com- 

 monly called petrified figs. 



The facts we have now mentioned respecting 

 the London clay evidently show that England, 

 or what there was of it, must then have had a 

 tropical climate ; the whole character of the 

 remains, both animal and vegetable, are tropical ; 

 and the perfect state of preservation in which 

 multitudes of them are, will not allow us to sup- 





