G:?2 



UR. J. \V. D.VWSOX ON NIIIX'T TltllKS COXTAIXINC ANIMAL 



no local rostr'k'tioii in this miittcr, unless tlio scaivity of tlio orcot Irces to\\'ar(l tlio end 

 of tlio rci'f mav iiulicato a nviri;iii of tlio forest in that diirotion. 



The I rocs raiitjo in (llanietcr froni a foot to nearly .'5 foot, tlio ordinary diainotcr 

 he'vv^ about IS inclu's. The tiicnsuronicnts of diameter were made at a short tlistanee 

 above the base, where the tiunhs became a|»proximately eyliiidrical. The oxtrenio 

 diameter of the larjjfest tree at the liase was ."! foot. The measureiiionts of heiiflit 

 refer to the actual condition of the trees. The maxinnim heie;ht of tri-es whicb iiad 

 lost nothiui; by (lenudatinn i-= ',) feet ; but several of those now of less lH'ii,dit may, 

 previnusly to the modern denuditioii of the beds, have been as tall as any of the 

 others. 



80 far as can be ascertained, all the trees nfl^mlinf^ amphibian remains as well as the 

 others staiidinLj erect with tl;eni, belon:^ to the ^'onus Sii/il/drin in its wider sense, or 

 to tlie fimily Sii/illKrld'. Tiiose retaininj^ markiuLTs have the characters of the broad- 

 ribbed species of Si</ill(ti-it( proper, like S. renif'nniiis and S. Unnviiii, which seem to 

 have been anmnn; the l;OL;vst trees of the coal-period, and those best fitted, bv the 

 density and imlestructibility ef their outer bark. |br retaining' an crei't position. 

 Trunks and Iiranehes refeirible to the subdivisions /\'lii//i<Itili/iis and Funil'iriii* and 

 also trimks. if ArjO/r/o/A/yo.v, occur in a ll.ttteiied condili.))! in the black shale; and these 



as well as Cordaitcs must h 

 of tl 



ive constituted portions of tin- sami' forest, thou'di non 



lem endured long- eiionirh to become reposittiries of amphil>ian rci 



nains. 



All tl 



le 



erect trees, so Tar as observed, had i-oots of the St 



lu'uiai'ia tviie 



It is desei'viiin- of remark in this connexion, that the circun 



istaiices (I 



f t 



10 orowtli 



th 



and entombment of this f Mcst ent 



Ii'elv contradict those ti 



leories a^ 



Sfii/inan'a which suppose that these plants o'l 

 the present instance the su 



to Si</i/l<irii( and 



I'w m Water or on sulnnoi 



OV.I 



ireas. 



Ii 



rtaee 



III which the tree 



-■s ori'w, 



G-iiicl 

 trunk 

 S 1(1 ill It 



1 coal 



must 



if tl 



lioW lepli'Selited by till 

 lave liivn iindeijain by several \\%-i of pe.ity matter with prostrati 



recs, aii'l no remains oi 

 .fditr 



aipiatic animals. 



T 



lilhtnir o{ (litlerent species but hindojloijos. dinhillvs, and /: 



orest contained not only 



W 



was sulimero-ed t 



leii the area 



Ills Nen-etatioil w; 



illed, while 



eoiild iifro 



plants like Sji/iti,(i/Jii/l/inii, which 



w 111 water, a]ip:ireiitly took its place, and were in turn replaced by Si<iil/ 



and Cahiiidtes when the a 



Kridi 



tl 



rea auaiii became land. Vwv 



le erecl 



tn 



tl 



ther, when the reptik'S fell into 



ees tiie siirlace on wlneli t 



lev wal 



ordinarily have been several feet 

 would have remained t' 



ceil, th'>UL;li subject to inuiidat 



ions, nuist 



alio\( 



e the drainage level, otherwise the hollow tr 



ees 



nil ot water, 



N< 



remains of any 



^piatic aiiiiiials were found in the trees lioldin,i,r amphibian 



remains, unless certain iiunnte aimulated bodies, doubtl 

 leecl 



llllVcol 



les, can be r(>L;'ari 



(led 



pared Iiv Dr. Sciddku to 



iirst of the do 



caved niatel'i; 



'isortliisch;ii.aeter. The vegetable mat tors present consisted, 



>r ii. 



iiients wiilch Ii;id liijli'ii int. 



interior of thi' trunk itself, and. 



second I V, o 



ira<r- 



I or 



Most of 



■n drifted into the t 



ree: 



these weiv pieci's of l,;0'k and 



after thev 1 



lecanic 



lioll 



OW, 



Wood 



lilt 



i ea V e 



■ f (. 



-o/'c 



l'iif< 



s Wore not iin- 



NC 'A, 



a'Uini licoli 



