Wright- — Palaeozoic Floor of North- East Ireland. 645 



where the eastern limiting anticline of the Lough Neagh basin crosses the first 

 of these synclines, that is to say, in a position where we should not expect 

 any great thickness of strata to be preserved. This would be very remark- 

 able if we were dealing with true Coal Measures; but, as we have already 

 pointed out, these beds are Lower Carboniferous, and even the highest beds 

 in Ballycastle are probably not much more than 3000 feet above the base of 

 the formation. Two conclusions may be drawn from their occurrence in 

 this position : first, that similar beds are likely to occur along the greater- 

 part of the Dungiven-Ballycastle syncline ; and, secondly, that where that 

 syncline is crossed by the transverse syncline of the Bann Valley much 

 higher beds are likely to be found than those which occur at Ballycastle. 

 The course of the area defined by the intersection of these two synclines is 

 roughly indicated by the Ballycastle Railway between Annoy and Bally- 

 money, the Midland Bailway between Ballymoney and Macfinn Junction, 

 and the Deny Central Bailway between Macfinn and Garvagh. 



To the north of the Dungiven-Ballycastle syncline lies the Ardmore anti- 

 cline. This is only exposed on the western side of the basalt, and we have to 

 presume that its course in the concealed area is parallel to that of the 

 Dungiven-Ballycastle syncline. It is possible that posthumous elevation 

 along this axis has brought to their relatively elevated position the extensive 

 areas of chalk exposed at Ballintoy and Church Bay in Bathlin. This anti- 

 cline should, with certain qualifications which we shall specify later, be avoided 

 in all preliminary exploration ; but it is not unlikely that in the centre of the 

 Bann syncline the Ballycastle coals will be found to pass over it without a 

 break. 



North of the Ardmore anticline is the Lough Foyle syncline, which, being 

 double the width of the Dungiven syncline, shows correspondingly greater 

 promise. Unfortunately a large part of it lies beneath the sea, and is conse- 

 quently inaccessible. Its southern limit might be taken as a line joining 

 Limavady Junction to Port Ballintrae, near the Causeway. It is thus possible 

 to explore by boring the southern side of the syncline all along this stretch 

 of coast, and in one place, on Magilligan sands, to get right into the heart of it. 

 The most promising portion of this syncline is that where it is intersected by 

 the Bann trough, so that the earliest explorations should be made along the 

 coast between Castlerock and Bengore Head. Portrush would probably be 

 about the best site. 



Consideration of the Effect of Faulting in Northern Antrim. 



There is a point in the structure of the Ballycastle coal-field which needs 

 to be taken into consideration in selecting a site for exploring the basin formed 



SffiENT. PROC. E.D.S., VOL XV., NO. XLV, 5 I 



