46 REPORT—1852. 
Odostomia eulimoides, Hanl. Was met with sparingly, not at all corresponding to 
its present numbers. 
Natica nitida, on. Was found frequently. It is in the harbour as a living species. 
Murex erinaceus, Linn. Was constantly met with. It occurs abundantly in the bay. 
Purpura lapillus, Lim. In considerable numbers. It still lives there in great 
abundance. 
Nassa reticulata, Linn, Fine examples very common. A prolific inhabitant at 
resent. 
: N. incrassata, Mill. In exceeding abundance. Its presence still diffused through 
the bay. 
Buccinum undatum, Linn. Very abundant. One specimen of the carinated var. 
Still an inhabitant. 
Fusus antiquus, Linn. Occurred sometimes. Lives in the harbour, 
Cyprea Europea, Mont. A single imperfect example. Dwells now at the mouth 
of the bay. 
Akerw lysis Miill. A specimen or two only. Sometimes thrown in now in vast 
numbers. 
Scaphander lignarius, Linn. A portion of a full-grown shell. Still an occupant. 
Philine aperta, Linn. Abundaatly present. The harbour still retains it. 
Helix rotuadata, Mill. Was found once. In its usual abundance near the town. 
H. nemoralis, Linn. Occurred once... Common all round Belfast. 
Creusia verruca, Leach. Two or three specimens. Enumerated in the fauna of 
the locality. 
Balanus. Two forms of this genus occurred. Both forms recent in the bay. 
Pectinaria Belgica, Pall. Met with on one occasion. Common in the harbour. 
Serpula triquetra, Linn. Was frequent. Constantly met with in the living state. 
Eighty species in all, examples of nearly all of which are preserved in the author’s 
cabinet. Those species which usualiy present colouring have preserved it in a striking 
degree. The great size generally attained is also remarkable. The shells which were 
in the greatest abundance were those of edible Mollusca, a fact which evidences such 
design as to suggest the beneficent Author of Nature as the Cause of it. 
On the Lower Members of the Carboniferous Series of Ireland. 
By Kicuarp Grirrity, MAA. FG. 
Having briefly glanced at the carboniferous series, as it occurs in various parts of 
Ireland, he proceeded to describe the yellow sandstones and carboniferous slates, 
which, he said, are best developed in the north coast of the County Mayo, extending, 
in a western direction, to the undulating quartz rocks and mica-slate at Ballinderry, 
and in the north of Ireland, in the counties of Londonderry and Donegal. In the 
north, the series is altogether about 6000 feet thick, 3000 feet belonging to the car- 
boniferous limestone, and 3000 to the slate and yellow sandstones, so that altogether 
the series is about 6000 feet in thickness. The first members of the series consist of 
beds of yellow sandstones, with occasional alternating layers of whitish and greenish 
coloured shales, red sandstones, and limestones. ‘The beds contain a great number 
of fossils; and it is a remarkable fact, that fossils of the same character occur in each, 
and are found from top to bottom. The limestone alone contains upwards of 90 spe- 
cies, some remarkably curious specimens of which were shown by the author; and in 
the yellow sandstone there is a large number, including fish-beds and plants, such as 
were first discovered by Col. Portlock at Moyola in the County Londonderry. Mr. 
Griffith next directed attention to various sections in the County Dublin, in which he 
pointed out the carboniferous slate beds as having a stratification consisting of impure 
argillaceous limestone, and perfectly distinct in character from the lower limestone ; 
and also to sections in the County Waterford, in which the old red sandstone is found 
resting unconformably on the Silurian rocks, with carboniferous slates and yellow 
sandstone below it. He conceived, that what he called the carboniferous slate and 
yellow sandstone might belong to the carboniferous limestone. 


