
ON AN EXCAVATION AT COLLYHURST. 941 
Thus the existing species and genera of mammiferous animals gradually re- 
cede from our view, and new and strange forms appear, as we “successively 
reinstate and bring before the mind’s eye the animated beings of the more 
remote tertiary periods of the earth’s history. 
The most extraordinary feature in the Palzontology of this island is the 
proof of the high antiquity of the Mammalian class which has been derived 
from the oolitic slate at Stonesfield in Oxfordshire. If the existing generic types 
are almost lost when we reach in a retrospective survey the oldest tertiary 
periods, we might anticipate that the Mammalia of the oolitic epoch would 
differ as much from the peculiarly eocene generic forms as these do from those 
which now exist, and we accordingly find such an anticipation fully borne out 
by the ascertained characters of the Amphitherium and Phascolotherium— 
the most ancient Mammalian inhabitants of this planet. 
Report on the excavation made at the junction of the Lower New Red 
Sandstone with the Coal Measures at Collyhurst, near Manchester. 
By E. W. Binney. 
Tue vicinity of Manchester affords many examples of those great dislocations 
in the carboniferous strata which took place prior to the deposition of the 
members of the new red sandstone formation, and into which the waters that 
deposited the new red sandstone flowed until the hollows formed by such 
dislocations were at length filled up. A small patch of coal measures, situate 
on the north-east of the town, known by the name of the Manchester coal 
field, is an isolated tract entirely surrounded by the newred sandstone. The 
valley of the Irk cut through the “till,” runs nearly in a line with the rise and 
dip of the strata, and exposes successively the outcrops of the upper new 
red sandstone, magnesian limestone, and lower new red sandstone, the last- 
named rock lying upon coal measures 600 yards down in the series. The ac- 
companying section (No.1) will best show the relative position of the strata 
(see Section I., p. 242). 
As the absolute point of contact between the coal measures and the lower 
new red sandstone had~not been seen, a deep cutting was made at a place 
called Tinker’s Brow, adjoining Mr. Buckley’s sand delph, about one mile 
north-east of the Manchester Exchange. This cutting was visited by many 
members of the Association at the last meeting, and displayed some interest- 
ing facts connected with the till as well as the lower new red sandstone and 
the coal measures. 
In the accompanying section No.2, a portion of the excavation made in 
__ working Mr. Buckley’s sand delph, as well as the cutting made on the occasion 
_ above mentioned, is shown. 
, Section II. 
Section of Strata at Collyhurst, near Manchester. 
aoe ee 2 LL 
=< _S§s@— kaz2__ 
= _ LLL 



1, Silt (supposed). . Til. 3. Contorted Silt. 
4, Lower New Red Sandstone dipping at an angle of 18. 5, Coal Measures dipping at an angle of 24, 
1843. R 
