394 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. [Apr. 22 



relative positions of the trees at right angles to the planes of strati- 

 fication, as they appear in the face of the cliff, the upper part of 



Fig. L 



which overhangs and prevents us from observing how far the stems 

 continue upwards. In the descending order we have the following 

 series of beds : — 



ft. in. 



0. Strong white sandstone 4 



n. Slaty blue shale 2 



w. The main coal-seam 6 



/. Soft fire-clay 2 



A. Indurated clay 6 



i. Slaty shale 1 3 



^. Slaty gritty shale 5 



5-. Soft blue clay 0^ 



/. Dark slaty gritty shale 4 



e. Soft clay and coal mixed 3 



d. Fire-clay 3 2 



e. Carbonaceous matter 0^ 



J. Indurated clay 2 4 



a. Strong sandstone 8 



Total height of the cliff 44 1 



The sandstone, a, is quite destitute of fossils, but the overlying 

 beds of clay, b and d, abound in Stigmariae, with their rootlets ra- 

 diating and crossing each other in every direction ; they also contain 

 some small scattered nodules of clay ironstone. Each of these beds 

 has apparently been the surface-soil upon which forests of trees 

 flourished, whose only remains are the numerous roots of Stigmariae 

 and the thin layers of coal, c and e, derived probably from the stems 

 and branches. 



The superincumbent beds,/ and h (separated by the thin layer of 

 blue clay, g), in addition to the upright stems with their roots and 

 rootlets attached, growing at different levels, contain also vast quan- 

 tities of flattened stems of Sigillariae, Calamites and Lepidodendra, 

 lying both in oblique and horizontal positions, and a great variety 



