PETRIFACTION*. 459 



tradition says were made by extracting ironstone. 

 On the right hand side of the road leading to the 

 low mill in Farndale, is a hill, something like a 

 small houe, the end of which being removed, it 

 proved to contain cinders or slag, produced by no- 

 dules of ironstone, similar to those at park corner. 

 The hill bears all the marks of antiquity, being over- 

 grown with ling, and appearing like the other parts 

 of the moor. To the left of the road, not far from 

 this heap of cinders, is a quarry of sandstone, work- 

 ed for the purpose of procuring flags, &c. inAvhich 

 is contained iron pyrites, some of it in veins and other 

 parts in kidney shaped nodules, formed by several 

 lamina, placed one over the other, like the coats of 

 an onion, with a yellow neuclus. In the recent 

 fracture the nodule presents various colours. 



On this moor are various coalpits ; and above 

 the coal seam there usually occur beds of silicious 

 sandstone, twenty, thirty, or forty feet in thickness. 

 Over- this stratum, bituminous shale and sandstone 

 rise in alternate beds to the top of the hills. No- 

 dules of rich ironstone abound in this shale; some 

 of them are of the granulated kind, in which the 

 green specks that often occur seem to indicate the 

 presence of copper. 



In the upper end of Tripsdale, a branch of Bils- 

 dale, is a bed of bituminous chistus, of a dark 

 brown colour and soapy feel. It is easily divided 

 into thin plates, which are used by the inhabitants 

 of the neighbouring vales for baking cakes. These 

 slates are soft and elastic when first dug out, but 

 are prepared by roasting them in hot turf ashes ; 

 after which they will bear the heat of a common fire 

 for several years. 



PETRIFACTIONS. 



In the oolitic limestone of this district is a great 

 variety of organic remains. About the middle of the 

 limestone series is a thick bed, composed partly of 

 petrified shells, or the remains of marine animals. 

 These remains are of various descriptions, which 



