REVIEWS. 201 



Journal of the Geological Society of Dublin. Vol. VI. Part 1. 

 1853-1854. Dublin: 1854. With a Plate. 



Our readers need not, for one moment, imagine that, when presenting to 

 their notice the " Journal of the Dublin Geological Society," we intend 

 to act the part of hostile reviewers, or to criticize the proceedings of a 

 learned society. No ; far from us be such a course ; but we think it not 

 objectionable, at the same time, to take a passing note of their sayings 

 and doings ; and, perhaps, the wisest course of doing this would be to 

 condense the already well-condensed address of their esteemed president, 

 J. B. Jukes, F.E.S., delivered before the society on the 8th of January of 

 the present year. But our space forbids us to do this fairly ; and so we 

 must content ourselves with giving a brief notice of the papers, of which 

 four are contained in the present part, which has also added to it the re- 

 port from council, and the above-mentioned address of Mr. Jukes. 



The first in order is one by the Rev. Professor Haughton, On the 

 Newer Palaeozoic Rocks, which border the Menai Straits, in Caernarvon- 

 shire. The newer palaeozoic rocks in Caernarvonshire occur on the east 

 side of the Menai Straits, where they form a thin patch, extending N.E. 

 for a distance of upwards of 8£ miles ; their greatest breadth, measured 

 in the N.W. direction, being less than one mile. They are bounded on 

 the south-east by one of those bands of felspar porphyry which constitute 

 so remarkable a feature in the geology of north-western Wales, and on 

 the north-west by the Menai Straits. This district contains a complete 

 series of deposits, extending from the Upper Devonian sandstones, and 

 conglomerates, on the north, to the shales and marl beds of the coal mea- 

 sure, on the south. Professor Haughton divides his paper into three parts — - 

 the physical geology of the district; the measurements of thickness of 

 strata ; Palaeontological observations, with a list of the fossils found. As 

 one of the chief objects in examining this district was its comparison with 

 our Irish carboniferous series, there is added a list of Irish localities and 

 formations, divided according to Dr. Griffith's system ; the list contains the 

 names of thirteen zoophytes and seventeen mollusks, one of which — a 

 Naticopsis — appears to be an undescribed species. The general conclusion 

 which Mr. Haughton draws from the Menai group of rocks and fossils is — 

 that in this district there exists no distinction between the Devonian and 

 carboniferous deposits; but that the entire series of beds, including the red 

 sandstone conglomerates and yellow sandstone at its base, must be con- 

 sidered as a continuous whole ; and corresponds, in its palaeontological 

 character, with the lower limestone and yellow sandstone formations of 

 Ireland. 



VOL. I. 



