XVIII. On some new Varieties of Fossil Alcyonia, 

 By Thomas Wesster, Member of the Geological Society. 



Dear Sir, 



To Sir Henry Englefield, Bart. 



London, August 2d, 1811. 



JL Obey with pleasure your request that I would give a particular 

 account of the singular fossil organic body which I observed in the 

 green sandstone stratum under the chalk, during my late examination 

 of the Isle of Wight, and which appears not to have been hitherto 

 described by any naturalist. 



Whilst viewing the rocks about Ventnor Cove, and in various 

 parts of the UnderclifF, I remarked a great number of small pro- 

 minences that at first sight appeared like harder pieces of the stone 

 which resisted the effects of the weather after the rest had mouldered 

 away. But examining them more particularly, I observed that most 

 of them had exactly the form of branches of trees ; and frequently 

 the resemblance was so complete, that if they had been carved by a 

 sculptor, he could scarcely have made a better imitation. Sometimes 

 they were tolerably sharp and perfect, but most generally were a 

 good deal decayed ; and they then bore that sort of likeness to real 

 branches w^hich sculpture would after having been long exposed to 

 the weather. PI. 27, fig. 1. 



Vol. II. 3 b 



