TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 629 



locality, a mass of conglomerate, about 30 feet thick and 100 

 yards long, (the breadth unknown,) may be seen resting on the 

 top of a trap-hill, which has risen up between the grauwack^ 

 and the old red sandstone. This is near the sea-coast, at a small 

 village called Burnmouth. 



111. Mr. Milne then proceeded to describe the lowest parts 

 of the basin, viz. those occupied by rocks decidedly mem- 

 bers of the coal- deposit, from which extensive supplies are ob- 

 tained along the south bank of the Tweed, and also by those 

 other rocks, of more doubtful character, which some geologists 

 have considered as new red sandstones. 



Mr. Milne here observed, that in speaking of the Berwick 

 coal-fields, or coal formation which occurs along the south 

 bank of the Tweed, he only meant to state the fact, that strata 

 are developed there, having one and all of the distinctive features 

 of the coal-measures, derived from the mineralogical characters, 

 as well as the organic remains found in them. These strata 

 have, however, been described as subordinate members of the 

 mountain limestone group, and to this opinion he cordially ac- 

 ceded. But his object was merely to state the fact of extensive 

 deposits of coal, and its usual concomitant rocks, being in that 

 neighbourhood, when he spoke of them under the convenient 

 appellation of coal-measures. 



There are on the south bank of the Tweed altogether eight 

 workable seams of coal, and the collieries extend from near the 

 shore at Berwick to the river Till, which joins the Tweed about 

 20 miles from the sea. Those strata, with the rest of the coal- 

 measures, rise at Berwick, about north-north-west ; but further 

 inland they rise more and more decidedly to the westward ; and 

 near the Till, where they are not far from the Cheviot hills, 

 they rise nearly due west. In short, they appear to lie con- 

 formably to the belt of old red sandstone, which winds along 

 the foot of the Lammermuir and Cheviot ranges, and rise always 

 to the hills nearest to them. 



These coal-seams vary in thickness from 2^ feet to 5| feet, 

 and are worked so extensively as to supply with fuel not only 

 the district of Northumberland and Durham wherein they occur, 

 but also the greater part of Berwickshire and Roxburghshire. 



It is from the same coal-deposit that all the lime used for 

 agricultural purposes is procured. 



It is hardly necessary to add that the sandstones, limestones, 

 and shales, accompanying the coal which is worked south of 

 the Tweed, contain all the fossil remains usually characteristic of 

 a coal-deposit. Crinoidea with the Producta, Spirifera, Modi- 

 ola, and other marine shells are abundant, whilst the Eqtdseta- 



