Mr. Witham's Description of a Fossil Tree. 297 



be, these plants being Vascular Cryptogamic, composed of cellular tissue 

 with vascular fibres, destitute of medullary rays, concentric rings, or 

 woody texture, and generally dichotomous. Great numbers of these 

 Gymnospermous Phanerogamic plants have lately been discovered in 

 the Shales of the Mountain Limestone groups, much broken, and lying 

 in a state of great confusion. This gigantic stem so far exceeds in 

 size the generality of those found in similar situations, that although 

 possessing, in common with the rest, the same generic character, yet, I 

 fear, with our present limited knowledge in this hitherto neglected field 

 of Botany, it would be dangerous, or rather impossible, to name the 

 species. I may here mention, that the concentric rings, so very appa- 

 rent in plants belonging to the Oolitic series, are not in general so 

 conspicuous in those found in the Mountain Limestone series and Coal- 

 fields J probably amongst other causes, owing to the abundance of 

 Calcareous matter, and the peculiarity of crystallization. Yet, from the 

 examination of the few slices of this Tree already cut, I feel persuaded 

 that they will be found in many parts of its magnificent trunk. 



Since commencing this short account, a fragment of a third Fossil 

 stem, with a branch, has been discovered, on the south side of the same 

 quarry, between where the Fossil discovered in the year 1S26 and that 

 found in 1830 lay. This fragment and branch were embedded in one of 

 those indurated parts of the rock, called by the workmen, " kettle- 

 bottoms." The rock being so hard, it became necessary to blast it, 

 which probably detached the branch from the fragment of the stem. 

 The branch has been sliced, and shews the concentric rings, in a per- 

 fection almost approaching to the Fossils belonging to the Oolitic series. 

 (^See Plate XXV. Figs, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.) The pith is large. This 

 is the most powerful link which has been found to unite the chain of 

 evidence, which in every other respect is so strong, in favour of these 

 plants belonging to the Phanerogamic class. 



Two immense Coniferce, and a fragment, found within 400 yards of 

 each other, afford strong reason to think, that in a square mile of the 

 same deposit, many of these ancient relics of early vegetation will be 



