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On the Geological relations of the South of Ireland. By Tho- 

 mas Weavek, Esq. F.R.S., &c *. 



X HIS hilly and diversified region is chiefly composed of ridges, 

 having generally a direction from east to west, and attaining 

 their greatest elevation in the mountains of Kerry, where Gur- 

 rane Tual, one of Magillicuddy's Reeks, near Killarney (the 

 highest land in Ireland), is 3410 feet above the sea. 



The rocks in this elevated country are chiefly of the transi- 

 tion class; they decline gradually towards the north, and finally 

 pass under the old red sandstone and carboniferous hmestone of 

 the midland counties. 



1 . Transition Series. 



In Kerry there is a persistent series of transition rocks, hav- 

 ing a general direction from east to west, and dipping to the 

 north and south with vertical beds in the axes of the ridges ; 

 the strata, as they diminish in inclination on each side, form a 

 succession of troughs. 



The principal rock masses are composed of greywacke, slate, 

 and limestone; but the general series is distinguished by the 

 author, into simple and compound rocks: the simple being clay- 

 slate, quartz-rock, hornstone, lydianstone, and limestone ; the 

 compound sandstone and conglomerate, with bases of clay-slate, 

 quartz and sandstone, greywacke and greywacke-slate, sand- 

 stone and sandstone-slate, greenstone and hornstone porphyry. 

 Roofing-slate, though comparatively rare, is found of an excel- 

 lent quality in the island of Valentia. 



Organic remains occur more frequently in the limestone of 

 this series than in the slate and greywacke. In Kenmare, these 

 remains consist of a few bivalves, and some crinoidal remains ; 



• The above is an abstract, published in the Annals of Philosophy for 

 August 1830, of a Series of Observations, read to the London Geological So- 

 ciety, on the Geognosy of a large tract in the South of Ireland, comprising 

 the counties of Cork, Ker^y, and Clare, with part of those of Galway, Tip- 

 perary, and Waterford, thus connecting this portion of the island with the 

 eastern part, formerly described by Mr Weaver, one of our best geognostical 

 observers. 



