On some Remains of Terrestrial Plants in the Old Red Sandstone of Caithness

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Abstract
N umerous fragments of plants have for several years past been discovered in the Old Red Sandstone of the North of Scotland; but as yet a few only have been figured. The specimens have now been gathered together by the Director of the Geological Survey for the purpose of illustration. As no experienced botanist has yet been willing to take up such obscure relics, I have thought that some general notes on this old flora might be useful, if only to lead the way to a more critical examination of the specimens. Some of them will be figured also in the second edition of “Siluria.” The best that I have seen are in the collection of Mr. John Miller, of Thurso, who has for some time directed his attention to these Devonian plants, and at the request of Sir Roderick Murchison, who long ago observed them, has most kindly entrusted to us the whole of his collection. Mr. R. Dick, of the same place, has also aided largely in these discoveries. Mr. C. W. Peach has more lately found similar plants at Wick, and Dr. Hamilton in Orkney. I have examined all these collections, and many of the specimens are now placed in the Museum of Practical Geology. The fossils are preserved in hard, grey, sandy flagstones, which are in many cases abundantly marked with impressions of Annelideburrows in pairs (P]. V. fig. 6) ; and these probably indicate that there was no great depth of water where these beds were

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