THICKET OF SlGILLARI^. 
123 
ment was eleven feet high. One tree had 
large spreading roots four feet in circum¬ 
ference. By the care of Mr. Hawkshaw, 
these interesting remains are covered in and 
preserved on the spot where they were 
found. 
Amongst many similar instances in which 
we obtain a peep into the glades of the 
most ancient forests, we will select one from 
the Welsh coal field, at Cwm Llech, near the 
head of the Swansea valley, w^here a rav¬ 
ine cuts into a group of Sigillariee. At the 
foot of the trees coaly matter resembling 
roots is found, and the shale is full of fern 
leaves crossing each other in all directions, 
as if fallen and distributed on a muddy 
ground. '' Studying the mode in which the 
sand was accumulated round the stems in 
order to trace if possible the direction in 
which the drift came against them, little 
was observed to mark an eddy caused by a 
rapid current upon them, at the same time 
the laminae of the sandstone, were slightly 
raised towards the stems as if wmshed 
against them by small wmves in shallow^ 
