THE 



LONDON AND EDINBURGH 



PHILOSOPHICAL MAGAZINE 



AND 



JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 



[THIRD SERIES.] 



OCTOBER 1836. 



XLIX. On the Limestones found in the Vicinity of Manchester. 

 By W. C. Williamson, Curator of the Miisetm of the 

 Manchester Natural History Society.* 



Sect. I. Introduction. 

 T^HOSE districts in the geology of which the saliferous 

 -■• group forms a predominant feature, are seldom consi- 

 dered to possess any striking interest to the pursuer of that 

 pleasing study. The uniformity of the deposits, the rarity 

 of their organic remains, and their influence in producing a 

 lameness of surrounding scenery, have caused the red sand- 

 stone districts to be regarded with anything but agreeable 

 feelings ; and this repugnance has often been the occasion of 

 an almost total inattention to localities which, when carefully 

 examined, have exhibited a series of results interesting to the 

 pursuer and important to science. A stimulus is thus given 

 to research, and even the unprolific red sandstone acquires a 

 powerful degree of interest from its connexion with and affi- 

 nity to strata replete with organic life of the most interesting 

 kinds. 



Such has in some measure been the state of geological sci- 

 ence in the vicinity of Manchester. On the south and south- 

 west of tlie town commences that extensive range of new red 

 sandstone which diff'uses itself over Clieshire, Staffordshire, 

 and several of the southern counties, presenting nothing of in- 

 * Communicateil liy the Author. 



Third Scries. Vol.9. No. 54. Oct. 1836. 2 E 



