Reports & Proceedings — Liverpool Geological Society. 237 



had received attention from AVorthington Smith, Felix, Williamson, 

 and Renault. 



Being particularly interested in the iron bacteria it had occurred to 

 him to examine a series of microscopic sections of Mesozoic ironstones 

 with the object of discovering whether they contained any evidences 

 of the existence of members of tbat group at the period of formation. 

 He had not succeeded in tracing iron bacteria in these rocks, but had 

 found the remains of moulds which had possessed a similar power to 

 deposit iron oxide on their membranes. The delicate hyphae were 

 found ramifying through fragments of organic matter, showing 

 reproductive organs and branching portions. He found the evidence 

 so definite that he felt justified in naming the organisms, but not in 

 relating them to modern species. He had found these organisms in 

 the ironstones of Lincolnshire and of Iiaasay. In examining a thin 

 section of a nodule from the Gault, near Folkestone, he had detected 

 the presence of bacteria, represented by both bacilli and cocci, whose 

 size and characteristic appearance left no room for doubt as to their 

 identity. The paper was illustrated by a fine series of micro- 

 photographs. 



In reply to points raised in the discussion by Professor Gregoiy, 

 Mr. Tyrrell, and others, Dr. Ellis said that he did not think there was 

 a possibility of his having been misled by deceptive appearances. 

 He could not suggest how such delicate organisms had been preserved, 

 but the fact remained that they were there in the rocks. 



IV. — Liverpool Geological Sociktt. 



April 13, 1915.— W. A. Whitehead, Esq., B.Sc, President, in the 



Chair. 



The following paper was read : " The Mineralogical and Chemical 

 Constitution of the Triassic Rocks of Wirral." Part II. By H. W. 

 Greenwood and C. B. Travis. 



While confirming and extending the results recorded in the first 

 part of the paper (Proc. Liverpool Geol. Soc, vol. xi, p. 116) the 

 authors had established some very significant facts, the full discussion 

 of which they postponed, pending further investigation. They were 

 satisfied, however, that, contrary to the prevalent view, secondary 

 silica played a negligible part as a true cementing material of the 

 rocks, the most important agents in this respect being the carbonates 

 of lime and magnesia. These were normal constituents of the 

 Wirral Trias, and not due to secondary infiltration. Analyses of 

 the Keuper Marls also invariably showed a high content of lime. 

 Barytes was widely distributed throughout the rocks, and was not 

 a surface manifestation. 



On the whole the authors were led to the conclusion that the 

 ingredients of the sandstones were derived ultimately from rocks of 

 a granitoid character, but as regards the Upper Bunter and Lower 

 Keuper, although the constituents were alike in both cases, their 

 mode of occurrence seemed to indicate that the former had been 

 derived from earlier formed sediments, and the latter directly from the 

 erosion of an igneous area. 



