VI.—On the So-called “Plant Fossils” from the Silurian of Central Wales

Extract

In the Geological Magazine, Dec. II. Vol. IX. November, 1882, my esteemed friend, Mr. W. Keeping, describes (pp. 485–491) some markings from the Silurian beds of Central Wales, which he considers to be fossil plants. The description of those markings, however, so far from supporting the correctness of Mr. Keeping's views, seem, on the contrary, to put it quite beyond doubt that the objects referred to are only trails and burrows of Annelids. It is indeed most surprising that Mr. Keeping, although referring to my paper on trails of different animals, etc., seems to have taken no notice whatever of the statements which are there brought forward as to the mode of occurrence and structure of the worm trails. For if this had been done, I think that the objects referred to would never have been described as fossil plants.