200 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



The Dalmuir plant Meloheda is of this character, and is in equally 

 good preservation with the shells among which it is found. A 

 closely allied plant, Melobesia cakarea, is found at Paisley, Houston, 

 and some other localities. 



The Westmarch Plants. — The seaweeds to which I would now 

 refer are of soft membranaceous texture, with one exception, 

 which is tough and coriaceous. This latter had attracted the 

 notice of Mr Bennie, who directed my attention to it, and with 

 him I visited the locality a few months ago. The stratum where 

 they occur could only he recognised distinctly at Westmarch 

 clay field, near the Race Course, the most westerly of the brick 

 works, I believe. The section there consists of about one foot of 

 soil, then two feet of yellow clay, with descending roots in it; next 

 four feet of sandy clay, in which the seaweeds occur; then about 

 ten feet of clay with the usual glacial shells of the district. Below 

 this is an unknown depth of mud and boulder clay. The former 

 reaches a depth of ninety-five feet in a bore made for Messrs Merry 

 & Cunningham, at the adjoining Eace Course. In the four feet 

 stratum the vegetable matter is very abundant, but most so in the 

 upper part, where it exists in a comminuted state, rendering the 

 colour of the clay quite dark. Animal remains are also abundant, 

 being represented by Foraminifera and Entomostraca and the 

 decayed fragments of Mijtilvs edulis in great plenty. The shells of 

 this mollusc seemed to be deficient in the carlwnate and jjhosphate 

 of lime necessary to give stability to the structure, and were 

 correspondingly rich in animal matter, which had become diffused 

 through the stratum, dyeing it of a distinct purplish hue. A 

 portion of this sandy clay had been thrown up on the bank, 

 and on the rain-washed surface, numerous samples of an irregularly 

 branched plant stood out clearly defined. That it was a sea- 

 weed was the immediate and natural suggestion, and this view 

 has been confirmed on microscopical examination It bears a dense 

 layer of cells on the surface of the frond, while the inner substance 

 presents a granular appearance. Any attempt to identify the 

 species of this plant would be premature, but I may meanwliile say 

 that it seems to approach the Diciijotacece most closely. Mr 

 Bennie subjected a portion of the clay to the washing process 

 which has of late been so productive of information with regard 

 to the minuter forms in these deposits. The vegetable debris so 

 obtained was most abundant, forming a thick cake in the sieve; 



