230 
A FOSSIL TREE AT CLAYTON, YORKSHIRE. 
Description of the Fossil Tree .—It consists of a very 
perfectly preserved lower end of a fossil trunk of a tree with 
its roots and rootlets attached thereto, and freely spreading 
or branching out on all sides in a natural manner (see 
Plate III). The specimen has all the appearance of being in 
situ, i.e ., of occupying the actual spot where it grew, 
flourished, and then died. But this of course was not upon 
the hill-top where it now is, but doubtless at or near the sea 
level in carboniferous times. That this must have been the 
case is evident from the character and lie of the beds of sandy 
material enclosing it. 
The height of the tree stump, including the roots, is 
about four feet, and the diameter three feet nine inches. I 
could not learn that the stem had been noticed to extend 
upwards beyond what is now visible. Strictly speaking the 
fossil is not a “ tree,” but the roots of one only. These 
magnificent roots extend away in a gently sloping direction 
all round from the stump. They include an area of say fifty 
or sixty square yards of ground, and the average length of 
each root is probably about twelve feet ; the largest is fifteen 
feet long. I consider there are four main roots, all much the 
same size, and placed nearly equidistant round the stump. 
As each main root leaves the stem it immediately divides 
into two, and at about six feet away from the stem each root 
bifurcates and extends away (without again forking) in 
straightisk lines to its extremity. There are thus sixteen 
distinct extremities to the roots, derived from eight forked 
branches, which originally proceed from four splittings-up 
of the base of the tree stem. The specimen consists princi¬ 
pally of the 8tiymaria /iconics, and possesses its thousands of 
rootlets or filaments extending themselves into the shale 
around the roots. The well-known quincuncial or spiral 
arrangement of the little round scars giving attachment to 
the rootlets is well preserved, particularly so upon two of the 
roots. But the size of the sketch accompanying this 
notice scarcely admits of their being clearly shown. 
That the tree which these splendid roots supported 
was the Lepidodendron or the Siyillaria seems certain, and 
from wliat little can now be made out upon the exterior oi 
the specimen I am inclined to think that it represents the 
latter. Palaeo-botanists tell us that but little difference 
existed between the roots of these two widely differently 
marked tree trunks. The material of which the specimen at 
Clayton is composed is hard sandstone, a good deal impreg¬ 
nated with hydrous iron oxide, while the roots themselves 
are embedded in a comparatively soft sandy shale; and this 
