50 OUR COMMON BRITISH FOSSILS. 



rich in flowering plants. In the shales there Diplo- 

 graptus pristis and Climacograptus rectangularis are 

 abundant, the latter species particularly so. 



The neighbourhood of Moffat, also, is good ground 

 for Graptolites. Many new species have been recently 

 described from this district. At Hart Fell such forms 

 as Diplograptus pristis, D. foliaceus, D. mucronatus, 

 Dicellograpttis, Dicranograptus sextans, and many other 

 commoner forms occur. In this remarkable region, 

 rendered classic by Burns and Hogg, the geological 

 student cannot cast his eyes in any direction without 

 recognizing some kind of geological agency or another. 

 All the hills hereabout show traces of glacial action, 

 in rounding, striae, or otherwise. Burns' " Craigieburn 

 Wood " lies itself in the heart of the graptolitic shales ; 

 whilst the student of Scott's " Red Gauntlet" will hardly 

 fail to recognize the graphic scenery delineated in 

 that novel, in his additional wanderings after fossils. 

 Birk Hill is one of the best places in Dumfriesshire 

 for Graptolites of all kinds. Glenkiln Burn is another 

 equally good hunting-ground, where, perhaps, the 

 largest specimens of Plenrograpttis are to be un- 

 earthed. Garple Linn, Duff-Kinnel Burn, and Dob's 

 Linn are other rich storehouses of Graptolites. The 

 latter spot is a waterfall sacred to the memory of 

 two Covenanters, who are said to have been much 

 annoyed by Satan. If these two worthy Scots had 

 been looking for Graptolites, they would not have 

 been troubled by such a personage. 



