XII. On the results of recent explorations of erect trees containing animal remains in the coal-formation of Nova Scotia

Abstract

The occurrence of remains of land animals in the interior of erect fossil trees is, so far as yet known, confined to certain horizons in the coal-field of the South Joggins in Nova Scotia. These remains were first discovered by Sir Charles Lyell and the writer in the summer of 1851. They were found in fragments of the sandstone filling an erect Sigillaria which had fallen from the cliff near Coal Mine Point. As other erect trees occurred in the beds from which this was supposed to have fallen, search was made by the writer in subsequent visits for additional trees; but up to 1876 only three of those which became accessible by the wasting of the beds were found to yield animal fossils. These, however, afforded many additional specimens, and several new species of Batrachians and Millipedes. The results of these explorations were published at various times in the Journal of the Geological Society of London, in a work entitled ‘Air-breathers of the Coal Period,' and in 'Acadian Geology;' and Dr. Scudder described the new species of Millipedes in the Memoirs of the Boston Society of Natural History. The beds containing the productive trees being thus well known, and being exposed in a cliff and in a reef extending into the sea, it seemed probable that many others might be obtained by quarrying operations of no great difficulty. In 1878 the subject was brought under the notice of the Council of the Royal Society, and a grant of £50 was made from the Government Fund to aid in the extraction of these trees and the collection of their contents. With the aid of this grant, a thorough survey and examination has been made of the cliff and reef by Mr, Albert T. Hill, C. E., by Mr. W. B. Dawson, C. E., and by myself, with the kind aid of B, B. Barnhill, Esq., Superintendent of the Joggins Coal Mines. By these means, along with the removal of fallen débris and sand from the outcrop of the beds, twenty additional trees were discovered and were extracted by cutting and blasting; affording many additional specimens and much information respecting the conditions of accumulation of the beds and the manner of entombment of the animal remains.