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381 
It would be improper, whilst treating of calcareous petrifactions 
of vegetables, to omit noticing those of Preservation Island, in New 
South Wales. These are thus described by Mr. Collins, in the second 
volume of his account of this colony. “ Amid a patch of naked 
sand, upon one of the highest parts of the Island, at not less than 
100 feet above the level of the sea, within the limits of a few hundred 
yards square, were lying scattered about, a number of short broken 
branches of old dead trees, of from one to three inches in diameter, 
and seemingly of a kind similar to the large brush wood. Amid 
these broken branches were seen sticking up several white stony 
stumps, of sizes ranging between the above diameters, and in height 
from a foot to a foot and a half. Their peculiar form, together with 
a number of prongs of their own quality, projecting in different 
directions from around their base, and entering the ground in the 
manner of roots, presented themselves to the mind of an observer, 
with a striking resemblance to the stumps and roots of small trees. 
These were extremely brittle, the slightest blow with a stick, or with 
each other, being sufficient to break them short off ; and when taken 
into the hand, many of them broke into pieces with their own weight. 
On being broken transversely, it was immediately seen, that they 
were divisible into interior or central, and exterior or cortical. The 
exterior part, which in different specimens occupied various pro- 
portions of the whole, resembled a fine white and soft grit-stone ; but 
acids being applied, shewed it to be combined with a considerable 
portion of calcareous matter. The interior or central part was 
always circular, but seldom found of the same diameter, or of the 
same composition, on any two stumps. In some the calcareous and 
sandy matter had taken such entire possession, that every fragment 
of the wood was completely obliterated ; but yet a faint central ring 
remained. In others was a centre of chalk, beautifully white, that 
crumbled between the fingers to the finest powder : some consisted 
of chalk and brown earth, in various quantities ; and some others 
