TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 135 



On the Burnley Coal-field and its Fossil Contents, 

 Bij J. T. WiLKiNSOBT and J. Whitaker. 

 Althougli of limited area, the Burnley coal-field is imcommonlv rich, not onlyin 

 fossil fuel, but also in organic remains. It comprises within itself a complete series 

 of the middle and lower coal-measures. It is surroimded by ranges of hills ; the 

 principal of them being Pendle on the north, Boulsworth on the east, G-orple to- 

 wards the south, and Hambleton on the west, several of them being nearly 2000 ft. 

 above the sea-level. Geographically, the field occupies the lowest portion of the 

 valley ; but, geologically, it is the highest, when considered with reference to the 

 stratification of the district. The most productive part of the field underlies the 

 town of Biu'nley, where it assumes the fomi of a long trough, boimded on the east 

 and west by two faidts, running nearly parallel. The greatest depth to which the 

 strata has been pierced occurs on the Fuledge estate, near the centre of the basin, 

 where a depth of nearly 300 yards has been obtained. There have been found the 

 following seams : — The Dog Hole Mine, or top bed, 6 ft. thick ; Kershaw Mine, 

 3 ft. ; Burnley Old Five-feet Mine (the main coal of the field), 5 ft. ; Higher Yard 

 Bed, 3 ft. ; Lower Yard Bed, 3 ft. ; Low Bottom Mine, 4 ft. ; Cannel Bed, 2^- ft. ; 

 Thin Coal Mine, 2| ft. ; Great Mine, or Eang Bed, 4 ft. These are locally called- 

 " The top beds," and they include about 40 ft. of coal, imbedded in strata about 

 600ft. deep. For a depth of 240 ft. below these no coal occm-s. Then come the 

 Arley series, or Haberg-ham Alines, consistiug of the following working seams : — 

 China, about 2 ft. thick ; Dandy Bed, 3 ft. ; Arley, or Habergham Mines, 4 ft. : 

 giving a total of 9 ft. of coal to about 445 ft. of intermediate strata. Strata not 

 contaming coal here again form another awkward division of the measures. The 

 Gannister Mines follow next, comprising the Foot Mine, with a hard Gannister bed; 

 the Spa Clough Top Bed, 2^ ft. ; Spa Clough Bottom Bed, 4 ft. ; or a total of 8 ft. 

 of coal, with 684 ft. of intervening strata. From these measures to the Rough 

 Rock, the highest part of the Millstone-grit formation, the distance is something 

 more than 300 ft. Omitting many seams less than 1 ft. thick, there is, from the 

 highest mine in the Burnley measm-es, to the highest member of the Millstone-grit 

 formation, a total of 50 ft. of coal, for a depth of 2025 ft. of strata. None of the thin 

 seams in the IMillstone-gi'it have been worked in the Burnley district. The 

 authors describe in detail the various seams mentioned, and the fossil remains 

 foimd in each. In conclusion, they state that seven large specimens of Sigillarice 

 were found in the limited space occupied by a small cotton-mill recently erected 

 in Chm-ch Street, Burnley ; and others have been foimd in Mill Lane during the 

 construction of a common sewer. The whole of these were in an upright position, 

 and several had Stigmarian roots adhering, giving the best possible evidence that 

 they had grown and flourished on the spot. The whole of the overlying rock may 

 be described as an immense fossil forest, occupying the central part of the Bumley 

 coal-field ; and that town itself is situated on what was one of its richest lagune 

 jungles, replete with the flora of a former geological age. 



On the Geology of Knockshiyoivna in Tipperary, Ireland. 

 By A. B. WTifira, F.G.S. 



In this paper the position of Ejiockshigowna, a conspicuous object in the Lower 

 Ormond pai-t of Tipperary, was first alluded to ; and the author proceeded to describe 

 it as a somewhat ridge-shaped elevation, rising to 701 feet above the level of the 

 sea, and 400 feet above that of the sm-rounding limestone plain, with a gentle slope 

 on the south-east and a steep declivity to the north-west. Its structxu-e was then 

 explained, and it was stated to be formed of Silurian rocks overlaid by the Old Red 

 Sandstone, which is unconformable to the Silm'ian, and is denuded at the top of the hUl 

 so as to expose these imderlying rocks. The Old Red is entirely absent along the 

 gi-eatest part of the north-western base of the ridge, in consequence of the occm*- 

 rence of a fault, by which it is buried beneath the outcrop of the Silmian rocks. The 

 position of this faidt is marked out and its existence proved by the near approach 

 of the Carboniferous limestone and Silurian formations at two points along the 

 line of fracture, space not being left between them for the thickness of the Old Red 

 Sandstone as exposed upon the opposite flank of the hill. 



