[ 141 ] 



XXIV. Proceedings of Learned Societies. 



GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 

 [Continued from vol. xx. p. 594.] 



Nov. 3, A MEMOIR entitled " Supplement to a • Synopsis of the 

 1841. -^*- English Series of Stratified Rocks inferior to the Old 

 Red Sandstone/ with Additional Remarks on the Relations of the 

 Carboniferous Series and Old Red Sandstone of the British Isles," 

 hy the Rev. Adam Sedgwick, F.G.S., Woodwardian Professor in the 

 University of Cambridge, was begun. 



Nov. 1 7 . — Professor Sedgwick's paper, commenced at the preceding 

 meeting, was concluded. 



The author states that his former synopsis* is now modified ; 1st, 

 by the new classification of the stratified rocks of Devon and Corn- 

 wall {Devonian system) ; 2ndly, by a larger knowledge of fossils de- 

 rived from some of the groups described ; 3rdly, by new observations 

 made during the past summer in the south of Ireland, the south- 

 western parts of Scotland, and in the north of England. 



New Red Sandstone. — 1. England. — It is shown, by sections de- 

 rived from Warwickshire, that the upper part of the new red sandstone 

 is sometimes unconformable to the lower part, which represents the 

 magnesian limestone and lowest division of the new red sandstone 

 group. It is also shown that the coal-measures pass into the overlying 

 new red sandstone series through the intervention of bands of red marl 

 alternating with two bands of freshwater limestone, the whole beds 

 of passage being loaded with common coal-plants. The author then 

 discusses the sections near Whitehaven. They show no passage 

 from the lower new red sandstone (rotheliegende) to the coal-mea- 

 sures ; but they show that the flora of the coal-field existed appa- 

 rently in full perfection during the period of the lower new red sand- 

 stone : of this flora he has obtained many new specimens. He states 

 that the additional facts lend support to the suggestion thrown out 

 by Mr. Murchison and himself respecting the age of the coal-field 

 on the flanks of the Hartz. 



2. Scotland. — The new red sandstone of Dumfries- shire is continu- 

 ous with that of the plains of Carlisle, and is seen overlying the coal- 

 measures from the valley of the Esk, near Canobie, to the neighbour 

 hood of Dumfries. Near the latter place it is in mineral structure 

 the same with the red sandstone of Corncockle-moor, and, at both 

 places, the red flags contain impressions of footsteps. The author 

 therefore asserts that the red sandstone near Loch Maben (visited by 

 Mr. Murchison and himself in 1827) was rightly placed in the new 

 red group. The lower divisions of the new red sandstone series do 

 not appear to range into this part of Scotland. 



To the north of the Galloway chain (the great southern grey wacke 

 chain of Scotland), the new red series almost dies away, and is seen 

 in very few parts of Scotland. The author found no traces of it 

 between Girvan and the mouth of the Clyde. Coupling this fact 



* Proceedings, vol. ii. p. 675. [or Phil. Mag. S. 3. vol. xiii. p. 299.] 



