﻿196 PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. [Mar. 12, 



Fig. 2. 



of Lepidodendron. No leaves are attached to any of the stems of Cala- 

 mites. Around and below the bases of the stems there are numerous 

 fibrous rootlets, and also some Fern-leaves and prostrate Calamites, 

 and horizontal flattened stems having finer striae than those of the 

 species of Calamites occurring here. I endeavoured to ascertain if 

 any one of these horizontal stems was connected with the Calamites 

 in the manner of a Rhizoma, but I could find no distinct connection. 



The occurrence of a single group of Calamites in this manner might 

 be accounted for by supposing that they had been drifted from the 

 land with their roots attached, and had thus settled and been buried in 

 an upright position. It must, however, be borne in mind that formerly, 

 before the erection of the present mill-dam, this bed could be traced 

 for a considerable distance along a bare cliff, and everywhere con- 

 tained vertical Calamites. It seems most probable, therefore, that a 

 bed or thicket of Calamites grew on this spot, and were buried in situ. 

 In this case they grew in soft alluvial mud, not especially rich in 

 vegetable matter, perhaps covered by shallow water ; and were buried 

 by a more rapid accumulation of similar mud, gradually becoming 

 coarser. In fig. 1, a denotes the upper and coarser beds, b the finer 

 beds surrounding the stems, and c the still finer beds with rootlets 

 at the bases of the stems. The sudden breaking off of the stems may 

 not have been entirely owing to the greater force of the current or 

 coarseness of the detritus. In a portion of the bed overlying the 

 Calamites, not now exposed, I saw many years ago a prostrate Lepi- 

 dodendron having its branches and leaves entire. Such drifted trees, 

 if swept through the submerged Calamites, would easily break off 

 their slender and fragile stems. 



3. Further Remarks upon the Calamite. By J. S. Dawes, Esq., 



F.G.S. 



[Abstract.'] 



After noticing the works of some foreign authors who had treated 

 upon the Calamite prior to the date of his last communication*, and 

 * Read May 31, 1848. See Quart. Journ. of the Geol. Society, vol. v. p. 30. 



