INTKODUCTIOIf. XIU 



numerous trees, chiefly Scotch, fix and birch, stood erect, and 

 firmly rooted. They were not visible above the surface of the 

 . water, though, in droughty seasons, numbers of them were fre- 

 quently exposed near the margins of the pools. The trees were 

 of no great size, and, in most instances, the wood was in such a 

 good state of preservation, and contained so much resin, that it 

 was used by the neighbouring villagers for firewood. 



When the Car was draiaed the sections of the ditches showed 

 that the peat was of considerable thickness — ^twelve to fiiteen 

 feet at least, and rested upon gravel, which contained pebbles 

 of Mountain-Limestone, in which were found the ordinary fos- 

 sils of that formation. In places, patches of White Marl were 

 deposited, containing the usual lacustrine shells. The gravel 

 was most probably derived from the Boulder-Clay, which doubt- 

 less originally filled the basin of the Car, but had apparently 

 been either entii'ely or partially removed, and the stratum of 

 gravel redeposited, at the time, perhaps, when the Pont flowed 

 over this area. After this, a change of level would seem to have 

 taken place, when the basin became partially di-ained, with pools 

 left here and there, in which the marl was formed. Then, the 

 whole area was probably converted into one great swamp, and 

 the peat accumulated. And here I may remark that Mr. Howse 

 informs me, that during the draining operations, he found in the 

 peat some remains of the deer, namely, a portion of the upper 

 jaw with teeth, and a few ribs ; and Mr. Atthey obtained from it 

 two or three teeth of the horse ; numerous fir cones were also 

 found, and some hazel nuts. A few boles of the oak were also 

 taken out of the peat, towards the east end of the Car, near Din- 

 nington. At a later period the Car became sufficiently drained, 

 probably by a further change of level, to allow the growth of 

 the forest, the remains of which still existed in such an excel- 

 lent state of preservation. Then another depression ensued and 

 pools were formed in the peat; a stop was put to the further 

 growth of trees, and the Car assumed the aspect it wore previ- 

 ously to its last fatal drainage by the hand of man. 



Such is a concise description of this famous locality, this great 

 field of research of oiir northern naturalists. And rich as it was 



