
RECENTLY DISCOVERED IN CRAIGLEITH QUARRY. 205 
drawing (Plate XIII.), 23 feet of it were exposed, firmly fixed in its sandstone 
bed ; and its girth was estimated at 10 feet at least. As it was desirable that so 
magnificent a specimen should not be lost, I communicated, by permission of Mr 
Hunter, lessee of the quarry, with Mr CarrurTuers, botanical curator of the 
British Museum ; and through his enterprise, and the liberality of the Museum 
trustees, not only has the then visible part of the fossil been conveyed to the 
National collection in London, but authority was also given to excavate, if 
possible, the remainder of it. This was not easy, for it descended at an angle 
of 70° through very tough sandstone, no longer within the operations of the 
quarry. It was most desirable, however, to see how the fossil terminated ; and 
the opinion of the overseer was a great encouragement, who thought that the 
lowest sandstone bed at the spot would be penetrated at the depth of 6 feet. 
But an excavation was made, first of 14 feet, and then of 6 feet more, without 
any indication either of the fossil, or of the sandstone matrix, coming to an end. 
The lowest 6 feet too proved so brittle that it came away in small irregular 
fragments, which could not be again fitted together. Farther excavation was 
then abandoned, and a roadway now passes over the site. About 36 feet have 
been removed in large blocks to the British Museum, besides the comminuted 
fragments of 6 feet more; it is the intention of Mr CarruTuers to have the 
fossil set up, as far as possible, in imitation of its original attitude, and I have 
the assurance of the Museum authorities that it is “ by far the most remarkable 
relic of Paleozoic vegetation known.” Edinburgh geologists, however, will not 
regret its removal to so congenial a site as the great National Museum of the 
kingdom, considering that we have already in excellent preservation the fossil 
of 1830, which is nowise inferior except in size. The portion now in London 
varies in girth from 11 to 13 feet-—6. The sixth fossil came into view early in 
1873, in the lowest workings of the quarry, at least 50 feet deeper than the 
last, and about 50 yards from it horizontally. There was a rumour, however, 
among the workmen of a higher part of it having been seen a few years since 
before the rock was excavated so low. For some time a cross section only was 
visible ; for, being brittle, and the workmen’s hammers lying conveniently near 
it when they left the quarry, it was easily broken up by visitors as it was 
gradually uncovered. Thus several feet were destroyed before I saw it. But 
it was then taken care of, and soon a round black fluted column, 9 feet in girth, 
stood up to the height of 6 feet from the white sandstone which had been 
removed from around it. Seven feet of it were conveyed to the Botanic 
Garden, and have supplied sections of great interest to the museum in the 
garden, the Museum of Science and Art, and the British Museum. In conse- 
quence of the deep workings of the quarry having been since given up, and to 
all appearance permanently, the spot has been flooded, and the remainder of 
this fossil has become inaccessible. This is to be regretted, because in several 
