204 SIR ROBERT CHRISTISON, BART., ON FOSSIL TREES 
These have been seven innumber. 1. The first of which there is any record 
was uncovered in 1826. WurHaAm describes it as a stem 36 feet in length, and 
3 feet in diameter at its lower end. It has been only in part described by 
WirtuHam, nor does he say that any portion of it was preserved. But there is 
reason to believe that it is represented by a fragment 3 feet 3 inches long, and 
7 feet in girth at its widest, preserved at the Museum of Science and Art.—2. 
In 1830 was displayed the second, which was the chief object of W1rHaAm’s 
researches. He describes it as 47 feet long ; and he ascertained that there had 
been 12 feet more at the top before he saw it. The 12 lowest feet were in 
good preservation in the Royal Botanic Garden, and the next 18 feet in front 
of the Museum of Science and Art, to which this portion had been removed 
from the University, where it had been secured by Profesor Jameson while 
keeper of the University Museum. By arrangement between Mr Arcuer and 
Dr Batrour, the whole remaining fragments of this fossil have been united 
in the Botanic Garden. It is 6 feet across where it is widest at the bottom ; 
its length, accurately measured, is 30 feet 8 inches, and at its upper end 
the girth is 4 feet 4 inches.—3. The third fossil was uncovered about the 
year 1840, to the best of my recollection, and not far from where the two 
others had been found. No scientific account of it was ever published to 
my knowledge. But I have little doubt that, with the assistance of Mr 
CARRUTHERS of the British Museum, I have traced a large portion of it—and 
a fine specimen it is—as having been removed from Craigleith in 1854, by the 
late Mr Ross, donor of the fountain in Prince Street Garden, to his villa 
of Rockville, Murrayfield, where it sentinels in great blocks the avenue from the 
gate towards the house. The several segments, if united, would probably 
measure 24 feet. One of them is 7 feet high, and 10 feet in girth. A docu- 
- ment in Mrs Ross’s possession proves that they were conveyed to Rockville in 
1854; and her gardener had seen the fossil in the quarry at least two years 
earlier.—4. The fourth, as I am informed by an old workman, after remaining 
several years in its bed in a different part of the quarry from the place where all 
the rest had been found, was removed not long before 1850 to his neighbouring 
mansion by the late Mr Ramsay of Barnton, with the view of having it converted 
into polished slabs for furniture. It proved to be unfit for the purpose. But 
I have seen in good preservation behind Barnton House several segments of it, 
about 6 feet in girth, from 3 to 4 feet long, and sufficient to measure at least 12 
feet if reunited. ‘These segments exactly resemble Nos. 1, 2, and 3 in every 
main character.—5. The upper part of the fifth is believed to have been first 
brought into view in 1854. But after a few feet of it were torn out of its bed, 
it was covered over with rubbish of the quarry, until it was again recently dis- 
played on excavation having been resumed in its vicinity. This is the largest 
of the fossils yet found in Craigleith, When I first saw it, as shown in the 

