176 Account of the Mineral-Fields of Airdrie and Bathgate. 
of coal, and thick beds of it, those of from two to three feet 
are reckoned unworkable ; that is, they cannot be sold with 
profit in that district. 
The coals dip regularly until near the town of Bathgate, 
when they flatten and are formed into what is called the 
“trough” of the coal, and then deflecting from the regular 
line of dip, rise to the east upon the western face of the 
Bathgate Hills, at a great angle of elevation with the horizon, 
and are termed Edge coals. The common coal strata, and the 
accompanying mountain-limestone, below the thick coals, 
partake of the counter-rise. 
In general, thin coals are found in the coal strata below 
the mountain-limestone ; but they are very seldom workable 
to profit. 
The coals amount, in their aggregate thickness, to twenty 
feet four inches; but we have reason to infer that there are 
thick coals in the “trough,” or lower part of the coal-field, 
both above the upper coal, and below the lowest coal. 
All these coals are of good quality, generally cubical, and 
a portion of them splint, suitable for all furnace purposes ; 
and at the town of Bathgate there is a thick coal, with 
« Parrot,” or gas-coal about one foot thick, connected with 
the ironstone band. 
Benhar Coal-Field. 
This coal-field falls now to be described. It is situate to 
the south of the trap rocks before mentioned, and contains 
several beds of coal; but is chiefly valued, in having one 
bed of coal, of about four feet thick, of very superior quality 
to any in all the surrounding district. It is easily wrought, 
as the natural backs, cutters, and horizontal fissures, are 
numerous ; hence the coal, when wrought, is in pieces of re- 
gular rhomboidal figure, and in the olden days was termed 
“ Bible coal,” being similar to a large folio Bible. 
We therefore infer, from the geology of the district around, 
that this main coal of Benhar, is nearer to the trap rocks 
below than any of the coals of the Bathgate coal-field ; and 
this propinquity may have improved its quality, as is the 
