POSS/L CO SALS. 



87 



Carboniferous limestone system. Beith, in Ayrshire, 

 and Dunbar, Haddingtonshire, are capital collecting 

 grounds for all the above-mentioned fossil corals ; 

 and I may add that they are in a better state of pre- 

 servation at Beith than anywhere else in the United 

 Kingdom. Aspidophyllum occurs in abundance in the 

 limestone of county Down, Ireland ; and in the pic- 

 turesque, terrace-like outcrops of the Carboniferous 

 limestone strata at Blackhead, county Clare, both this 

 and several other genera of corals are plentiful. 



Fig. 67. — Vertical section of fossil Coral 

 ^Kon inckophylluiii) . 



Fig. 68. — Transverse section of 

 fossil Coral i^Koninckopliylluni) 

 in part showing cellular structure. 



Lonsdalia (which obtained its name after the early 

 geologist) is another abundant Carboniferous coral. 

 It is very common in the neighbourhood of Mold, 

 and may be extracted from the walls by the roadside 

 in wonderful perfection. The uppermost beds of the 

 fine escarpment of limestone called Eglwyseg at 

 Llangollen, in North Wales, also contain it in large 

 quantities. Indeed, we may regard that stratum as 



