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BURDIEHOUSE. 
also, but more sparingly, in the shale beds 
above and below it. There are certain well 
defined natural partings or seams of strati¬ 
fication in the rock, which as they materially 
assist the working of the quarry, often ex¬ 
pose an even surface of considerable ex¬ 
tent ; in these partings the remains of plants 
occur in greater abundance than anywhere 
else. 
When we last visited the quarry (May, 
1835,) a large space was thus uncovered, 
which was thickly strewn over with elegant 
vegetable forms most perfectly preserved, 
the black colour of the carbonized plants 
contrasting beautifully with the light laven¬ 
der-blue of the limestone. Some idea may 
be formed of the profusion of the remains 
thus exhibited when we state that in a space 
of three feet square, we counted upwards 
of forty specimens of Lepidostrobi, inter¬ 
mixed with Lepidopliyllites almost without 
number, whilst scattered here and there 
might be observed the elegant form of 
Sphenopteris Affinis; so agreeable was the 
impression produced by the elegance of the 
forms, and the sober contrast of colour 
