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It would be improper, whilst treating of calcareous petrifactions 

 of vegetables, to omit noticing those of Preservation Island, in New 

 South Wales. These are thus described by Mr Collins, in the sen.. id 

 volume of his account of this colony. "Amid a patch of naked 

 sand, upon one of the highest parts of the Island, at not less than 

 100 feet above the level of the sea* within the limits of- a few hun- 

 dred yards square, were, lying scattered about, a number of short 

 broken branches of old dead trees, of from one to three inches in 

 diameter, and seemingly of a kind similar to the large brush wood. 

 Amid these broken branches were seen sticking up several white stony 

 stumps, of sizes ranging between the above diameters, and in height 

 from a foot to a foot and a half. Their peculiar form, together with 

 a number of prongs of their own quality y projecting in different 

 directions from around their base, and entering the ground in the 

 manner of roots, presented themselves to the mind of an observer, 

 with a striking resemblance to the stumps and roots of small trees. 

 These were extremely brittle, the slightest blow with a stick, or with 

 each other, being sufficient to break them short off; and when taken 

 into the hand, many of them broke into pieces with their own 

 weight. On being broken transversely, it was immediately seen, that 

 they were divisible into interior or central, and exterior or cortical. 

 The exterior part, which in different specimens occupied various 

 proportions of the whole, resembled a fine white and soft grit-stone ; 

 but acids being applied, shewed it to be combined with a consi- 

 derable portion of calcareous matter. The interior or central part 

 was always circular, but seldom found of the same diameter, or of 

 the same cemposition, on any two stumps. In some the calcareous 

 and sandy matter had taken such entire possession, that every frag- 

 ment of the wood was completely obliterated ; but yet a faint cen- 

 tral ring remained. In others was a centre of chalk, beautifully 

 white, that crumbled between the fingers to the finest powder: 

 some consisted of chalk and brown earth, in various quantities ; 



