ILLUSTRATED BY FIGURES. 31 
Fig. 8. Portion of the Craigleith tree, shewing the regular woody tex- 
ture, separated by medullary rays; magnified about forty-five times. 
Fig. 9. Another portion of the same, magnified in the same degree, in 
which the woody texture and medullary rays are more or less distorted. 
Fig. 10. A portion of the same tree, magnified about fifty-five times, 
very regular in its texture, and shewing a medullary ray irregularly lace- 
rated. 
Figs. 11. and 12. Portions of the same, shewing various degrees of se- 
paration of the woody texture or indurated vessels, their walls beg thin 
in Fig. 11. and very thick in Fig. 12. 
The absence of lines of separation of the woody layers, is the only cir- 
cumstance in which these figures differ from those of the recent Conifere, 
Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4. and 5. of Plate I. In every thing else, the accordance is 
perfect, and leaves no reasonable doubt as to the class to which this fossil 
tree is to be referred. 
PLATE IV. 
Tuts Plate contains representations of portions of thin slices of fossil 
vegetables belonging to the Coal-formation and Lias, viewed by transmitted 
light. The eight figures in the upper part of the Plate are enlarged about 
fifty-five times. Of the rest, one is of the natural size, the others enlarged 
im various degres, which are indicated. 
FOSSIL VEGETABLES OF THE COAL-FORMATION. 
A great fossil tree was found in 1829 at Wideopen, near Gosforth, in 
a quarry upon the estate of Mr BranDLING, on the eastern side of the 
great north road, and about five miles from Newcastle. It occurred in the 
grindstone or firestone bed, commonly known by the name of “ Grindstone 
Post.” This bed has hitherto been supposed to be the highest member of 
the coal-formation of that district, and has its name from being extensively 
