88 Proceedings of the Eoijal Physical Society. 



for, ill 1865, Mr E. W. Skipsey announced the discovery of 

 true marine Carboniferous Limestone fossils in strata 60 

 fathoms above the Ell Coal, or upwards of 300 fathoms 

 above any hitherto known horizon in the Scotch Carboni- 

 ferous Series. The fossils are found in brown ironstone 

 nodules, on the Drunipellier estate, near Glasgow, and com- 

 prise two Brachiopods (Productus semireticulattcs and Discina 

 nitida), one Pteropod {Conulctria quadrisidcata), a Gastero- 

 pod {BelUrophon Urei), and a Bivalve (Schizodus deltoideus). 

 This is the uppermost point at wliich these classes are re- 

 presented, but below the Ell Coal one or two other instances 

 of a marine condition of things are known. I believe I am 

 correct in stating that the bed discovered by Mr Skipsey on 

 the Drumpellier estate is at a relatively higher position in 

 the Coal Measures than any of the marine bands met with in 

 the English Coal Measures, and containing, at times, a pro- 

 fusely marine fauna. 



The base of the Coal Measure in Central Scotland is 

 occupied by a well-marked bed, the Slaty-band Ironstone, as 

 it is called, in which have been found, according to Mr W. 

 Grossart,* Discina nitida, Lingiila mytiloides, Comdaria quad- 

 risidcata, and Schizodus deltoideus. So far this is an assemb- 

 lage of fossils closely allied to that found by Mr Skipsey 

 above the Ell Coal, but the slaty -band contains in addition a 

 Murchisonia, a NaiUilus, and Anthracoptera modiolaris. To 

 these Mr A. Macconochie, when collecting for the Geological 

 Survey, added Bellerophon Urei and B. decussattcs.f 



At Dariigaber Castle, near Hamilton, the same ironstone 

 contains Lingula mytiloides, and another apparently nearer to 

 L. squamiformis than to the former, and an Antliracosia.% 

 Lastly, in a marine ironstone and shale close on the base of 

 the Coal Measures at Duntillan Pit, near Shotts Kirk, were 

 found a number of a small Loxonema or Mtorchisonia, often 

 pyritised, accompanied by a small Modiola and an obscure 

 Schizodus.^ 



* " OiJ the Upper Coal IVleasures of Laiiark.sliiie " (Trans. Geol. See, 

 Glasgow, 1868, iii., pt. 1, p. 107). 



t Mem. Geol. Survey, Scotl, No. 31, p. 74. 



X Ibid., No. 23, p. 89. § Ibid., No. 31, p. 80. 



