APPENDIX. 351 



APPENDIX E. 



It is true, that there is not below the Burdiehouse limestone, any calcareous deposit nearly so thick 

 as it. But it is a mistake to imagine, that there are no limestone strata whatever below it. In fact, there 

 are carboniferous strata, several hundred fathoms in thickness, and forming part of the Esk coal-basin, 

 which lie beneath the Burdiehouse limestone, — consisting of regular beds of sandstone, coal, shale, lime- 

 stone, &c. Even at Straiton Mill, distant about three-fourths of a mile from Burdiehouse limestone, these 

 calcareous and carboniferous strata may be seen, — and dipping in the same direction. As the strata are 

 there nearly on edge, it is obvious, that the number and thickness of the deposits between the two places 

 (which are situated from each other in nearly the direction of the dip and rise), must be very great. At 

 Straiton Mill, there are two beds of coal ; — one a cubical coal, about 2 feet thick, — the other a coarse 

 parrot coal 4 to 5 feet thick. The former has been worked. It runs through the south end of the village 

 of " Five-houses," situated on the Edinburgh and Loanhead road, — and is supposed to run near the south 

 side of Gracemount House. 



At Straiton Mill also may be seen two strata of limestone, — in composition and texture very 

 similar to the Burdiehouse rock, filled with teeth, scales, and coprolites, similar to those discovered at 

 Burdiehouse. For a farther account of these, — see p. 355 hereof At the place now referred to, some 

 of the sandstones are very coarse, and there is one bed of conglomerate, about 6 feet thick. This is an 

 indication of its being near the bottom of the basin. 



