28 The Zris/i Naturalist. [January, 1899. 



Lesser Rorqual In the SwlIIy. 



On October 16, after a prolonged spell of heavy weather, I found a 

 young whale on Ballymastocker strand, near high-water mark. I heard 

 subsequently he had been there for several days. The specimen was 

 considerably decayed, but still quite entire, and struck me as something 

 quite unknown to me. Its comparatively small size (six feet in total 

 length) was especially noticeable for a " monster of the deep." Having 

 taken down measurements and prominent characteristics, I consulted 

 " Bell's British Quadrupeds," and concluded it must be an infant " little 

 finner" or " Lesser Rorqual" {Balanoptera rosttata), an Arctic cetacean of 

 migratory habits. I have taken means to preserve the skeleton for the 

 National Museum in Dublin, according to the instructions sent me by 

 the Director, to whom I wired immediately. This animal appears but 

 rarely on the British coasts, and I have no recent record of its appearance. 

 The above identification, most probably correct, must be taken as pro- 

 visional until the specimen is in the hands of a specialist. 



H. C. Hart. 

 Carrablagh, Co. Donegal. 



GEOLOGY. 



The Geological Structure of the Kenmare District. 



In the Irish Naturalist for September, 1898, there is the statement that 

 the structure of this disirict " is similar to that of the whole of the South 

 of Ireland, and presents little apparent complication." Now as far at 

 my experience goes this is far from being the case. In the first place on 

 the Bantry Bay side of the anticlinal the synclinal is occupied by 

 Carboniferous slate, while in the Kenmare synclinal the representatives 

 of the normal Lower Carboniferous rocks are Lower Limestone Shale and 

 limestone. How is this sudden change to be accounted for ? Secondly, 

 at the south of the Kenmare basin there is a regular sequence — yellow 

 sandstone, two lower limestone shale and three limestone ; but on the 

 north side of the basin there is Old Red Sandstone (Lower Devonian), 

 lying on the Carboniferous limestone, as indicated in the horizontal 

 section, p. 228, Irish Naturalist. The overlie, however, ought to be even 

 more than represented in the section, as has been proved in the mines. 



It is now known that the major portion of S.W. Cork and Kerry, south 

 of the great fault from Dingle Bay to Dungarvan, has been more or less 

 over-tlirusted from the south south-eastward, placing the older rocks on 

 the younger; indeed in places north of the great fault there has also 

 been over-thrusting as in the Limerick and Cork coal-fields. But 

 here at Kenmare it is the reverse; as the old rocks (Lower Devonian) 

 are now upthrust on to the Carboniferous limestone. 



Who will explain these two phenomena ? The sudden change from 

 Carboniferous slate to limestone, and the upthrust of the Old Red Sand- 

 stone on the northern margin of the Carboniferous limestone. 



G. H. KlNAHAN. 



Fairview, Dublin. 



