690 BEPOET— 1887. 



Director of the Irish Geological Survey, has been suspected by others, but hitherto 

 satisfactory evidence of its real nature has not been brought forward. There can 

 be no reasonable doubt that these chert beds result from an enormous and persistent 

 development of siliceous sponges, and that they are chiefly composed of the detached 

 microscopical elements of their skeletons. 



5. On the Discovery of Cnrhoniferous Fossils in a Conglomerate at Moughton 

 Fell, near Settle, YorJcshire. Bij Robert Law, F.G.8., and James 



HORSFALL. 



After briefly noting the various exposures of the conglomerate, its unconforra- 

 ability with the Silurian rocks, its nature, probable age, and the circumstances 

 which led to the discovery of fossils in it; the authors described the following 

 section exhibited on the south-west side of Moughton Fell. 



Feet 

 a. Scar Limestone, of light grey colour and well jointed ; 

 layers very distinct in lower parts and almost hori- 

 zontal, the genus Bellerophon being the commonest 

 fossil in the lowest bed of this rock. Thickness from . 300 to 500 

 h. Conglomerate. — Of a bluish-grey colour when newly 

 fractured, and becoming reddish on exposure to the air. 

 The fragments are rounded, angular, and sub-angular 

 in form, consisting of slate, grit, flagstone, and vein- 

 quartz, all apparently deri\ed from Silurian rocks. 

 Fossil shells and corals are common throughout the 

 bed. Bellerophon, Euomphalus, Si/rinf/opora, and Litho- 

 strotion are the prevailing genera. Thickness from . 1 to 12 



c. Lower Silurian slates, of great thickness, having a N.E. 

 strike and a dip of about 60°. The dip and cleavage 

 appear to be on the same plane in this locality. 



The nature and the origin of the stones in the conglomerate were next pointed 

 out ; also it was shown that the portion of the bed in which fossils had been found was 

 not more than 200 yards in length, and that it was thickest in the middle, thinning 

 out to the east and west, and at one point could be seen merging into the over- 

 lying limestone. 



The fossils collected from the conglomerate are as follows: — 



Syringopora ramulosfi. 

 Lithostrotion basaltiforme, 

 Euomjyhalus penfam/ulatus. 

 Cirrt'-s, one species. 

 Sanguinolaria aiif/i'sfata. 

 Pleurotomaria, one species. 

 Orthoceratite, one species. 



Bellerophon cornu-arietis. 

 Natica plicistria, 

 Natica lirata. 

 Natica ellipticu. 

 Inoceramiis, one species. 

 Spii'ifera, one species. 

 Fecten, one species. 



Bhi/nchonella acinninafa. Productus, three species. 



Bellerophon fanijentialis. \ Leptama, one species. 



In conclusion, attention was called to the probable method by which the 

 conglomerate was formed. 



FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2. 



The following Reports and Papers were read : — 



1. Fifteenth Beport on the Erratic Blocks of England, Wales, and Ireland. 

 See Reports, p. 236. 



