TKANSACl'lONS OF THE SECTIONS. *J1 



the British Isl&s of the monibers of the Cavboniferoua system, and divides the whole 

 into successive stages from A to G, thus : — 



Stages. Name. _ Localities. 



G, Upper Coal-measm-es. • Lancashire, N. Wales. 



F. Middle ,, England, Scotland, Ireland. 



E. Lower ditto, or Gannister Beds. I'^nglaud, Wales, Ireland. 



D. Millstone Grit. England, Scotland, Ireland. 



C. Yoredale beds. England, Lower Coalfield of Scot- 

 land, Ireland. 



B. Carboniferous Limestone. England, Ireland, Calciferous 



A. Lower Carboniferous Slate, Sandstone of Scotland. 



grits and conglomerates; 



Lower Limestone Shale. 



These beds are then identified, both by position and palisontological remains, 

 over the whole area, and lead to some important results. Kejecling the evidence 

 of fish- and plant-remains, which are inconclusive, the author finds that there is 

 a strong palffiontological distinction between stages E and F — the fauna of the one 

 (E) being essentially marine, that of the other (F) essentially estuariue or fresh- 

 water. The lists of species have been extracted from the memoirs of the Geological 

 Survey, the determination being those of the late Professor E. Forbes, Mr. Salter, 

 and Mr. Baily. The author of this paper is responsible for the determination of 

 the stratigraphical position of the beds from which the species have been obtained. 



He finds tnat there are about 53 species of marine genera in stage E (Gannister 

 beds, or Lower Coal-measures)*, of which 33 come up from the Carboniferous 

 limestone, but only 4 or 5 pass up into the overlying stage F (Middle Coal- 

 measOTes), indicating a strong palKontological break. 



Again, of 8 marine species found at rare intervals in stage F (Middle Coal- 

 measures), 4 are peculiar to this zone, and the remainder are common to it and 

 stage E. The remaining species belong to the genera Anihracosia, Anthracomya, 

 &c., which some authorities regard as of freshwater origin, others estuaiinej they 

 are probably either : these genera pass into stage G. 



These differences, together with some of a stratigi-aphical nature, between stages 

 F and G on the one hand, and E, D, C on the other, are so striking that the author 

 submitted that they should be recogiaized in the classification of the beds ; and he 

 ■jiroposed to establisli a " Middle Carboniferous " division, to include all the stages 

 from the Yoredale (C) to the Gannister (E) inclusive. This stage would be 

 e.5Seutially marine ; while the term " Upper Carboniferous " would be restricted to 

 the stages F and G, which are shown to be estuariue or freshwater. The term 

 Lower Carboniferous would remain as at present, to designate the Carboniferous 

 Limestone and basal beds of the system, stages A and B. 



The author has reason to believe, from information supplied by Professor Roemer, 

 of Breslau, that the marine stage E can be identified on the continent, both in 

 Belgium and Germany a band with Gonintites and Avicuhpecten occurring about 

 100 feet above the base of the Coal Measm-es, while, as we leam from Geinitz, the 

 mollusks of the Coal-formation generally belong to the genus Unio (Anthracosia), 

 so that this remarkable division, with its marine fauna, has had a range as wide as 

 the British Isles and Western Europe, and marks the upward limit of the essen- 

 tially marine conditions of the Carboniferous system. 



On a Deep Borhifj for Coal at Scarle, near Lincoln. Communicated by 

 Professor Edwakd Hull, F.B.S. 



This boring was undertaken about two years ago by a small company of Lincoln- 

 shire gentlemen under the advice of Mr. J. T. Boot, mining engineer, of Mansfield, 

 from whom I have received information and specimens constantly during the ope- 

 rations, besides having visited the locality in June 1875. The works have been 

 carried out by the Diamond Rock-boring Company, and specimens of the cores were 

 laid on the table. 



* They have since been considerably added to. — February 1877. 



