274 Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 



portant group, as at its base are the Metallic schists and their 

 associated copper lodes. 



The above divisions appear to be the true natural grouping of 

 the South Cork rocks. Of late another, of a lithological character, 

 has been attempted ; but both petrologically and paleeontologically, 

 and even in part lithologically, it is evidently incorrect. 



In the extensive West Munster Coal-field, only in this 

 county, have productive coals been found ; while here they seem 

 solely to occur in a narrow strip along the Blackwater valley. 

 In this strip the coals stand at a high angle, and appear to be cut 

 off in depth by nearly horizontal faults. On this account, unless 

 an elaborate system of bore-holes were put down, it is perfectly 

 impossible to even guess, at the quantity of unwrought coal. The 

 coal (anthracite) is of two distinct qualities — hard and soft — the soft 

 flakey kind, or culm, being greatly in excess of the hard and more 

 valuable variety. The latter is very sulphurous, but gives a 

 strong heat. These coals have been working continually for a 

 century and a-half. According to the writings of Grerrard Boate 

 and Smith, clay-iron stone appears to have been raised here, to 

 mix with bog-iron and the Devonian ores, for smelting at the 

 furnaces presently mentioned. 



In the Carboniferous Limestone and Sandstones, only a few 

 mineral lodes are recorded. 



In the Devonians, however, in the seventeenth century there 

 appears to have been a large iron industry. During the time Sir 

 Walter Raleigh lived at Youghal, he was an iron-master, having 

 mines and works in the Devonians, Co. Waterford ; but it seems 

 uncertain if he did any work in this county. Lord Cork, however, 

 had works in divers places. Smith, writing in 1750, mentions 

 Lord Cork's works at Araglin, near the eastern extremity of the 

 county, and those of the Whites, at Coomhola near Grlengariff, 

 and Aghadown near Roaring-water bay. Boate, a century earlier 

 (1652), states that Lord Cork's works were near Tullow Bridge, 

 and the ores used were of three kinds — bog-iron ore, clay-iron 

 stone, and limonite or hematite — the latter probably being raised 

 in the Devonian rocks. 



During the present century there has been considerable copper- 

 mining, induced principally by Colonel Hall's discovery, in 1810, of 

 a valuable lode at Allihies (Berehaven Mines). These lodes occur in 



