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NOTES— PAL^ONTOLOG Y. 

 Remarkable Geological Discovery at Clayton.— Yorkshire has 



long been well known to geologists to present, for its area, a most remarkable 

 opportunity to prosecute the study of geology, from the completeness of its 

 structure and the variety of its physical features. Accordingly, from the rich- 

 ness of the geological field, and the assiduity and watchfulness of its many devoted 

 students, added to a general' sympathy from many not strictly scientific, many 

 notable discoveries of fossil flora and fauna have been made, advancing materially 

 our knowledge of the former conditions of life on our earth. Thus, a little while 

 ago, was discovered at Idle a magnificent specimen of a large ganoid fish in the 

 lower coal measures ; and now at Clayton, near Bradford, has been found one of 

 the grandest examples yet seen of a fossil tree. Messrs. John Murgatroyd and 

 Sons, of Fall Top Quarry, Clayton, are deserving of thanks for the care they have 

 shown in baring this remarkable fossil, and allowing it to be inspected. The 

 quarry is not far from the edge of a bold escarpment overlooking the Thornton 

 Valley, and the well-known Elland flagstone is worked here for landings, flags, &c. 

 A fault cuts off the flagstone in a very marked manner, but it reappears in the 

 bottom of the valley. Between the better-bed coal and the flagstone there is a 

 great thickness of shales, sandstones, &c, of various characters and thickness, and 

 it was in these measures that the fossil tree was discovered about 20 feet below the 

 surface. The marketable flagstone is at a considerable depth, hence the overlying 

 strata must be first removed. It was during the process of this excavation that the 

 fossil was bared. Ever since the researches of the late Mr. Binney in the flora of 

 the carboniferous period, great attention has been paid to this branch of geological 

 study. He first discovered the trunk of a fossil tree known by the name of 

 Sigillaria, standing erect as it grew, and still connected with its roots, named 

 Stigmaria. Here, at Clayton, we have a splendid example of a similar nature. 

 A stump of Sigillaria is seen sending out its forked Stigmarian roots. Six of the 

 roots are quite undisturbed, the remaining two being accidentally broken, but as 

 the fragments have been carefully preserved, it can soon be restored to its original 

 state. In Stigmaria are placed the roots of Sigillaria and Lepidodendron and 

 perhaps other plants ; but an examination of the markings on the surface of the 

 present example proved it to be a Sigillaria. The Stigmarian roots presented very 

 finely the characteristic pits or scars from which the rootlets or filaments formerly 

 ran out in all directions. Some idea of the magnitude of this fossil may be 

 gathered from the following dimensions : the diameter of the trunk is 3 ft. 9 in. ; 

 the circumference of the largest root near the trunk 6 ft. 6 in., others being from 

 6 ft. down to 4 ft. 6 in.; the longest root extends about 15 ft., the others varying 

 from 2 ft. to 3 ft. shorter, whilst the ramifications of the roots extend over an area 

 of from So ft. to 90 ft. These roots can be seen from the trunk to their extremities 

 in all their windings and sharp outline, and certainly constitute a most impressive 

 sight. The trunk of the tree was in a bed of soft, sandy shale, called locally 

 'yellow loam,' the roots resting on a bed of soft blue shale, which they penetrate. 

 So remarkable a fossil as this should be procured at once for one of our museums ; 

 it would be an unrivalled example for geological students, and a splendid demon- 

 stration in the study of fossil botany. To allow it to meet the too common fate 

 of many fine fossils — namely, that of being broken up for rockeries or gardens, 

 would be an act of inexcusable and gross scientific vandalism. Mr. E. Wormald, 

 of Great George Street, Leeds, has obtained a fine photograph of the fossil. — 

 S. A. Adamson, Leeds, July 24th, 1886. 



NOTES— FISHES. 

 Occurrence of the Sting-Ray at Redcar.— A Skate, about twice 



as thick as the ordinary kind, was caught at Redcar on the 5th September, 1885, 

 and was exhibited in a fishmonger's shop. It is a dirty, sandy colour, but the 

 peculiarity is in the tail — it is about 15 inches long and branches off into two whip- 

 like forks, one longer than the other, each running to a fine point. This animal, 

 which puzzles the fishermen, turned out to be the Sting-Ray {Trygon pastinaca). — 

 T. H. Nelson. 



Naturalist, 



