eS 
PO 
Transactions. 105 
Ferguson of Donkin, Kirtlebridge, and extensively wrought by 
him then. A few minutes takes us to the quarry, and the same 
time to where the lime stone is burnt, and at the same spot are 
some great heaps of unburnt limestone, and from these heaps I 
got some very fine specimens of corals, which were easily polished 
by rubbing on a piece of sandstone and water, then with water of 
Ayr stone to a fine surface. If water is then used, and if it is 
finished off with putty powder made up into a paste, and rubbed up 
a with piece of flannel, it will be very pretty. When walking 
over the quarry there are some good sections to be seen there, 
and we should notice the strike and lie of the strata. Some of 
the quarrymen may have some specimens laid past, and 
should be asked. Among the fossils which are obtained in 
this locality are Orthoccritite of a large size, also actinoceres of 
great size, about 8 inches diameter at top, running to a point, 
some of them 6 and 7 feet long. The cottagers at Blacketridge 
make gate posts of them. Bivalve shells are Productus gigantewm, 
Productus semireticulatus, and others, Spirifer euomphalus, 
Bellerophon, and many more, but they are ditiicult to take out of the 
hard limestone, and require a chisel and hammer. Fishes range 
through the system, but are most abundant in the limestone and 
lower measures. The fin spines of gyracanthsus are also in other 
parts of the system, some 20 inches long. Some of the teeth of 
the large fishes are got 5-7 inches long. We also find a common 
fossil in the shales of the mountain limestone and coal measures, 
as we find in the secondary formations the coprolite or fossil 
excrement of fishes and saurians, in which are frequently found 
scales and pieces of shells and other remains of ancient life. In 
the coal measures those coprolites are no doubt those of fishes, 
and in many parts are so abundant as to make up the greater 
part of the stratum. 
After having visited the quarries previously mentioned it 
would be well to visit Blacketridge Quarry. Lithostrotion 
irregulare (Philips), a rare coral, L. gunceum (Ure), and many 
others are got at this quarry. It is just about two miles from 
Donkin lime kilns. After the limestone has been examined for a 
specimen of the coral on the top of the limestone collected for 
burning, we now get on to the main road. After passing to the 
other side we come to a road at right angles, where there are a 
number of cottages, and there always are a few fossils lying at 
14 
