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inhabitant of the Northern, European, and the 

 Mediterranean seas. Bullocks Curiosities. 



REMARKABLE FOSSIL TREE. 



A fossil tree is in existence near the village of 

 Penycuik, about ten miles from Edinburgh, of 

 which curious phenomenon, *he following de- 

 scription is given in a letter by Sir J. S. Mac- 

 kenzie, Bart. 



'" On the south bank of the river North Esk, 

 a short distance above the paper-mill at Peny- 

 cuik, where the strata usually accompanying the 

 coal formation of this country, are exposed, a 

 large portion of the trunk, and several roots, of 

 a fossil tree, are visible. It rises several feet 

 above the bed of the river, as far as the strata 

 reach, and the roots spread themselves in the 

 rock. It appears as if the tree had actually 

 vegetated on the spot where we now see it. It 

 is, where thickest, about four feet in diameter. 

 The strata, in which the. remains of the tree 

 stand, are slate- clay, and the tree itself is sand- 

 stone. There is sandstone below, and imme- 

 diately above the slate-clay, and the roots do 



