140 Notices and Extracts from the Minutes of the Geological Society. 



5. — Extract of a Letter from Alexander Gordon, Esq. to D. Gordon, Esq., of 

 Ahergeldie, describing three successive Forests of Fir embedded in a Peat 

 Moss ; — accompanied by Specimens. 



It having been reported to me that the remains of distinct forests of fir 

 timber, as large as any now growing in Braemar, were to be found in your 

 moss of Auldguissack, I went yesterday to inspect it. 



The moss from the lower part of the hill to the Muick or river, varies in 

 depth from 18 inches to 10 feet and upwards, presenting an inclined plane in 

 some places of rather uneven surface, and gradually elevated from the Muick 

 to the bottom of the hill. 



On digging into the moss in two different places, we discovered large roots 

 of Scotch fir-trees, about one foot below the ordinary average level of the moss. 

 Under the bottoms of these roots there was a stratum of about a foot and a half 

 of moss, below which other roots or trunks of trees appeared ; and on digging 

 still further down (about 6 or 7 feet below the ordinary level of the moss), a 

 third set of roots and truncated stems of trees were discovered; this lower- 

 most set presenting the appearance of having been destroyed by fire, as the 

 charcoal was quite distinct on them. It seemed impossible that these three 

 series of roots could have supported different trees all growing at the same 

 time, for the ramifications of each (horizontally, like Scotch firs at the present 

 day,) are quite distinctly bedded in moss, and placed perpendicularly above 

 each other. It is therefore clear, that these are the remains of three different 

 forests of wood, which had grown in this hollow at different periods of an- 

 tiquity. 



A similar succession of three distinct series of roots of fir-trees, divided by 

 interposed beds of root, is given by Mr. David Aher in vol. ii. of the Irish Bog 

 Reports, page 61. PI. IV. 



6. — Notice on Carbonate of Copper occurring in the Magnesian Limestone, 

 at Newton Kyme, near Tadcaster. By W. Marshall, Esq., M.G.S. [Read 

 May 20th, 1825. 



The accompanying specimens of green carbonate of copper were disco- 

 vered by myself last spring in a large quarry of magnesian limestone, situated 

 about half a mile south of Newton Kyme. The copper runs through the 

 limestone in thin veins, dipping considerably to the west, which is also the 

 dip of the limestone itself, but at a less angle than the copper. 



