398 Proceedings of the British Association. 



produced by thin layers of pure flinty matter alternating with Other 

 distinct layers, which were severally calcareous, argillaceous, or bi- 

 tuminous. This rock had a striking resemblance to the tertiary 

 limestones of Auvergne, which exhibit a similar character when 

 they come in contact with volcanic eruptions. And hence, as the 

 limestone of Kirkton is alternated with tufa, and is in the imme- 

 diate neighbourhood of trap-rocks, it probably owed its peculiar geo- 

 logical character to similar circumstances. This limestone contain- 

 ed numerous plants as well as the remains of a most remarkable 

 crustaceous animal, a nearly complete specimen of which the author 

 was enabled to exhibit to the Society, through the kindness of Dr 

 Simpson of Bathgate, into whose possession the relic had fallen. 

 The author remarked, that a larger head of the same animal had 

 been described by Dr Schouler ; but as this naturalist had unfortu- 

 nately not seen the extremity of the animal, the description was of 

 necessity imperfect. 



[Incidental to this notice,- Mr Smith of Jordanhill, near Glas- 

 gow, exhibited to the Society the more perfect head of the 

 animal described by Dr Schouler. And Mr Jameson Torrie 

 placed in Dr Hibbert's hands a memoir just published by Dr 

 Harlan of America, in which fossil remains are figured of a 

 similar character, but of the diminutive size of five inches 

 only. The generic name of Eurypterus has been given to 

 the American specimen. Dr Hibbert announced that draw- 

 ings, accompanied by a description of this singular animal, 

 would be shortly published.] 

 The limestone quarry of Burdiehouse was very briefly described, 

 as many details regarding it had already been published by the 

 author. This limestone was a very deep-seated bed in the carboni- 

 ferous series. Above it were alternating beds of sandstone, shale, 

 and thin seams of coal. A limestone containing marine shells and 

 corallines followed, while the whole was surmounted by the coal- 

 measures of Loanhead. The Burdiehouse limestone contained a 

 variety of plants, minute Entomostraca and Conchifera (among 

 which there appears to be a Cypris and a Planorbis), various un- 

 described fish, the bones of gigantic animals, large scales and co- 

 prolites. Among the bones are pointed teeth of the extraordinary 

 length of three and three-quarter inches, and of the width of one 

 and a half inches at their base, which resemble those of Saurian 

 reptiles. These teeth were adorned with a most beautiful brown 

 enamel, as well as the large scales which are so plentifully found in 

 the quarry. There were also exhibited some bony rays of the ex- 

 traordinary length of fifteen inches, which must have belonged to 

 an huge fish. 



