415 



Newbiggin, about a mile to the westward of Kenton. Those of 

 Kenton attend the stratum of coal ; but lie in a bed of blue chiver, 

 about a fathom thick, and have another stratum of black chiver of 

 the same thickness lying under them. They are generally about six 

 or seven fathom from the coal. Those of Newbiggin are but three 

 fathom above the coal. They have not always leaves in them ; in- 

 deed, not above one in five or six. When fresh taken forth, they 

 break difficultly and irregularly ; but when exposed awhile to the 

 air, they split easily, and part at the leaves. They are of several 

 sizes, from the bigness of a walnut to that of a man's fist. They 

 are found pretty plentifully ; and at about the depth of 40 fathom*." 



The specimens depicted at Plate I. -Fig. 8., Plate III. Fig. 6., 

 Plate IV. Fig. 1, 2, 3, 4, Plate V. Fig. 5, 6, 10, 11, are all of this 

 kind. These specimens are, however, not confined, as appears by 

 Dr. Woodward's account, to the neighbourhood of Newcastle ; 

 being also found in Derbyshire, and in Wales ; and, I conjecture, in 

 most places where masses of iron-stone accompany coal. Shrop- 

 shire abounds in these fossils. Since the former edition of this 

 volume, I have been favoured with a very interesting series of the 

 remains of plants in nodules, by Thomas Botfield, Esq. of Hopton 

 Court, Cleobury-Mortimer, Shropshire, in whose extensive works 

 they are very abundant. 



The only specimens in which I have seen the impressions of leaves 

 insilicious stones are such pebbles as are figured at Plate III. Fig. 7. 

 which are, I believe, but rarely found. The pebble appears to have 

 been partly inveloped, whilst in a soft state, in a piece of a leaf, by 

 which it has acquired the marks which it bears on its surface. 



Yours, &c. 

 * Catalogue of English Fossils, Part II. p. 14. 



