448 T. M. KEAJDE ON THE SUBMARINE EOEEST AT THE ALT MOUTH. 



as much of the stump and attached peat and clay as could be got 

 into a cart taken away and deposited in my garden, where the por- 

 tions now lie. I have since traced the ramification of the roots 

 through the clay on the remains in my possession. While this was 

 going on, some of the party w T ere digging round the stool of a 

 larger oak tree, which had been broken off about 2 feet 6 inches 

 above the surface of the peat. In this case also they traced the 

 main roots into the ground below the peat, which was of a more 

 sandy nature than in the example just described. 



The oak timber in all cases is very black ; and portions of it in 

 the trunk are quite sound ; but the roots are invariably spongy and 

 rotten ; and it was interesting to see, as the root penetrated the 

 ground, that the sections of it cut by the spade became of a much 

 lighter colour. I find on exposure to the air they get darker. 



Attached to the trunk on the lower side is a portion of the peat, 

 showing that, before it fell, there had been an accumulation of vege- 

 table matter. I have subjected portions of it to a microscopic ex- 

 amination : it is very much decayed and compressed, but appears 

 to be composed largely of bark, leaves, and twigs. The condition 

 of the base of the prostrate trunk is soft and spongy, of a dark 

 brown colour, and precisely corresponds with the wood of the top of 

 the stump. The second stump also showed the same change down- 

 wards as the roots were apjjroached ; and when the roots were cut 

 through with the spade they were undistinguishable in colour and 

 condition from those in the first example. 



The stump dug out was situated about 6 or 7 feet above Ordnance 

 datum, and was covered by most tides. Formerly the peat and 

 trees extended a long way down the shore towards low-water mark, 

 as shown by several outliers still in existence, but what remains is 

 being rapidly destroyed. 



