1849.] 



BROWN ON THE SYDNEY COAL-FIELD. 



131 



n. A long interval now follows without any erect trees, the next 

 in order being Calamites without roots in the sandstone No. 299, 

 which is 735 feet above the Main Coal No. 188. 



o. Six feet only above the sandstone last mentioned, a fine erect 

 Sigillaria occurs, based upon the surface of the argillaceous shale 

 No. 302, and extending ten feet upwards into the superincumbent 

 beds. At the height of three feet from the base it is bent over 

 nearly into a horizontal position, the length of the inclined portion 



Fig. 8. 



being two feet ; it then resumes its upright position, which it main- 

 tains to the top, terminating under the mixed coal and shale No. 306. 

 The diameter at the top is 1 5 inches, and at one foot from the base 

 24 inches. It is furrowed throughout the whole length, but leaf- 

 scars are visible only in the upper portion. Two large roots pro- 

 ceed from the base, but no rootlets or resemblance to Stigmaria can 

 be found. 



Prostrate plants and Stigmarise are found in some of the beds above 

 the shale No. 302, as high up as the top of the sandstone No. 3 1 ; but 

 above this sandstone not the trace of a plant of any description can 

 be found until we arrive at the argillaceous shale No. 344, 217 feet 

 above the last upright tree. This shale No. 344 is the commence- 

 ment of a series of beds exceedingly rich in both prostrate plants and 

 erect trees, which terminate only with the highest bed in our section 

 at Cranberry Head. I have endeavoured to show the position of all 

 the upright trees at one view in the annexed sketch (Fig. 9), the lower 

 portion being visible in the south-eastern face of the cliff, and the 



upper round the angle of the headland, where the coast-line runs 

 nearly in the direction of the strike of the strata : this will explain 

 why the beds dip so rapidly in one part, and appear nearly horizontal 

 in the other part of the sketch. 



