4 
MR. S. A. ADAMSON, F.G.S., ON ci DECENT DISCOVERIES 
without much delay at the marketable lower flagstone, blasting 
ipeiations have to be resorted to. After one of these explosions the 
pioprietors observed part of a large fossil tree exposed, and with 
praiseworthy thoughtfulness they immediately suspended further 
operations, and instead gave orders to their workmen to carefully bare 
the remainder of the roots. Part of the stump and four of the roots 
were somewhat damaged by the explosion, but four roots were left in 
situ. Messrs. Murgatroyd collected the broken pieces, and placed 
them together most admirably, which then presented the remarkable 
sight of a colossal stump of sigillaria, sending out eight forked 
stigmanan roots. The proprietors then kindly issued invitations to 
view the fossil, which were accepted by geologists far and wide, among 
them being the famous Professor Williamson, who declared it to be 
probably the most magnificent specimen of a Stigmaria ficoides yet 
seen. The following demensions, carefully measured by Mr. C. Brown- 
ridge, F.G.S., assisted by the proprietors, will afford an idea of the 
magnitude of this fossil : — 
Height of Stump 
Diameter of Stump (longest axis) 
Do. (at right angles to longest axis) 
Ft. in. 
3 9 
4 
3 
Diameter 
close 
Distance 
from 
stump to 
Root 
No. 
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
to stump, bifurcation of roots. 
Inches. 
21 
m 
16 
16 
17 a 
18 
17 
17 
ft. 
4 
4 
5 
4 
7 
5 
7 
7 
Distance from point of 
bifurcation to 
present termination 
of root. 
Right fork. Left fork. 
ft. in. 
9 6 
8 0 
7 0 
2 0 
1 6 
3 0 
3 0 
9 6 
ft. in. 
13 0 
6 6 
4 
4 
3 
4 
2 
7 
6 
10 
Greatest 
length 
of root. 
ft. in. 
. 17 0 
. 12 0 
. 12 0 
8 0 
. 10 0 
. 10 0 
. 10 6 
16 6 
The diameter of the visible area covered by the ramifications of the 
roots was from north to south twenty-nine feet six inches, and from 
east to west twenty-eight feet, giving a superficial area exposed of 
eight hundred and twenty-six feet. The roots seven and eight, and 
also the roots one and two, respectively cross each other, producing 
depressions in the lower roots at the point of contact. The roots 
presented very finely the pits or scars characteristic of Stigmaria 
ficoides, from which the rootlets or filaments formerly originated, 
and an examination of the shale immediately round the roots revealed 
these rootlets in vast numbers. It is satisfactory to know that this 
