SOi REPORTS ON* TifE STATE OF SCIEXCE. 



is coUipleted, it is proposed to investigate the jaspers and the very 

 temat-kable pillowy igneous rocks with which they are associated ; while 

 later the origin of widespread types of regional nietamorphisni Avill claim 

 attention. Sojue exceptional rocks have already been discovered, particu- 

 larly a graphitic schist, and a remarkable manganese limestone. 



Life-::ones in the British Carhoidferuns Itoclis. — liiluruii Report of Ike 

 Committee, coiiddinj of Dr. J. E. IMarh (Ghairuuut), Dr. "Wheel- 

 TON Hind (Secretary), Dr. F. A. Bather, Mr. G. 0. Crick, 

 Dr. A. H. FooRD, Mr. H. Fox, Professor E. J . Garwood, Dr. G. J. 

 HiNDE, Professor P. F. Kendall, Mr. II. Kidston, Mr. G. W. 

 Lamplugh, Professor G. A. Lebour, Mr. B. N. Peach, Mr. A, 

 Strahan, Dr. A. Vaughax, and Dr. H. Woodward. {Brawn up 

 hij the Secrefarij.) 



The last twelve months have seen much important work done in vafidua 

 Carboniferous areas. 



1\tr. H. Bolton regrets that the report of the collecting done in the 

 lowest measures of the Bristol coalfield is not yet in readiness for 

 inclusion] in this report, but it is hoped that the results will be 

 published at an early date. 



This year the gentleman who undertook the work of collecting in the 

 Upper Nidd Valley, where sections were being excavated in connection 

 with the Bradford Corporation AN'^aterworks, the object being (o show 

 the relation of the ' shell bed ' in the Millstone Grit and the Dibuno- 

 phyllum beds of the Carboniferous Limestone Series, unfortunately failed 

 to make any collections, and no results have been obtained beyond seven 

 measured sections. 



As mentioned in the last report, work was done by Mr. J. T. -Stobbs, 

 F.G.S., round Holywell in North "Wales. I joined him on two occasions 

 later on in the year, and we carried on our investigations of the Carboni- 

 ferous Limestone Series and the beds which succeed them from Holywell 

 in the North to Llanymynech in Shropshire, and as far west as Llysvaen 

 and Llandulas. We published the results of our Avork in a paper read 

 before the Geological Society on April 4. 



V/e acknowledge with thanks the kind assistance of Dr. A. Vaughan, 

 Dr. Smith Woodward, and Mr. Kidston in the determination of corals, 

 brachiopods, fish remains, and plants. 



Certain very important facts resulted from the comjsarison of the 

 faunas, found at different horizons in North Wales, with similar assem- 

 1>lages of fossils in the Bristol area. 



The lowest beds of the Carboniferous Series in North Wales are the 

 Basement beds, an irregular deposit of varying thick Jiess, absent in 

 many places, and where present containing only derived fossils. These 

 beds consist of conglomerate and dark red shales, and lie unconformably on 

 the upturned edges of the Ordovician and Silurian rocks. At Minera, 

 however, the lowest limestones lie on the upturned edges of the Bala 

 Series, and the red Basement beds are absent. They contain Daviesiella 

 llangollensis and are a calcareous conglomerate. 



The thickest and best section of Basement beds is at Ffernant Dingle, 

 near Llysvaen. 



