760 GEOLOGY OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PAEK. 



Most of the trunks in all three of the described forests are coniferous. 

 but occasionally a dicotyledonous trunk is found, showing that the forest 

 was to some extent a mixed one. It is of course more than probable that 

 the leaves found in the matrix about the bases of the trees were at one 

 time attached to them, but as they have never been found in association, it 

 is manifestly impossible to correlate them. 



The next fossil forest in rank of size is, perhaps, the one found on 

 Cache Creek, about 7 miles above its mouth. It is exposed on the south 

 bank of the creek, and covers several acres. The trunks are scattered 

 from bottom to top of the slopes, through a height of probably 800 feet 

 Most of the trunks are upright, although there is only now and then one 

 projecting more than 2 or 3 feet above the surface. The largest one 

 observed was 6 feet in height and about 4 feet in diameter. While most of 

 the trunks appear to the naked eye to be coniferous, there are a number 

 that are obviously dicotvledonous. It is certain, however, that the conifers 

 were the predominant element in this as in the other fossil forests. 



The slopes of The Thunderer, the mountain so prominently in view 

 from Soda Butte on the south, have also numerous fossil trunks. They are 

 mainly upright, but only a very few are more than 2 feet above the surface. 

 There were no remarkably large trunks observed, the average diameter 

 being less than 2 feet. 



Mount Norris, which is hardly to be separated from The Thunderer, 

 has a fossil forest of small extent. The trees are of about the same size 

 and characteristics as those on the larger mountain. 



Forests of greater or less extent, composed mainly of upright trunks, 

 are exposed on Baronett Peak, Bison Peak, Abiathar Peak, Crescent Hill, 

 and Miller Creek. In fact, there is hardly a square mile of the area of this 

 northeastern portion of the Park without its fossil forest — scattered trunks 

 or erratic fragments. 



The vast area to the east of the Yellowstone Lake has never been 

 explored thoroughly from the paleobotanical side, but enough is known to 

 be certain of the presence of more or less fossil wood. The stream beds 

 contain occasional fragments, which is a sufficient indication that trunks 

 of trees must be near at hand. 



