Bemems — Dublin Quarterly Journal. 75 



of North Devon to be equivalents of the " Carboniferous Slate;" the 

 beds above them (at Hele) being Coal-measures ; and those below 

 them (at Swinham Down) being Old Red Sandstone (or perhaps a 

 part of the Carboniferous series). So also he finds that Baggy Point 

 is formed of " Coomhola Grits in Carboniferous Slate," and that the 

 same beds occur at Knowle and Kittywell in the Braunton Valley. 

 For these conclusions, moreover, he Rnds fossil evidence, — taking good 

 modern determinations with the assistance of his paleeontological 

 friend, Mr. W. H. Baily. Near Coblentz Mr. Jukes found a family- 

 resemblance to the Irish and North-Devon strata above men- 

 tioned ; and he thinks that the Spiriferen-Sandstein, Orthoceraten- 

 Schiefer, Stringocephalen-Kalk, and Cypridinen-Schiefer, will be 

 found to be the German equivalents of the " Carboniferous Slate " 

 and their " Coomhola Grit;" the Posidonomyen-Schiefer being the 

 base of the Coal-measures above, whilst the Old Eed Sandstone lies 

 below. The fossils of these several localities in Ireland, Devon, and 

 Germany are, he believes, as closely allied as can be expected of 

 varying " habitats " and different " marine provinces ;" and they 

 appear, perhaps, more distinct than they really are on account of 

 having been determined b}^ Palasontologists of different views and 

 habits of observation. Mr. Jukes clearly points out that Sedgwick 

 and Murchison endeavoured to correlate the rocks of Devonshire 

 with different members of the Old Eed Sandstone, on the sound 

 argument of difference of lithological structure in different sea-areas ; 

 but that he apj)lies this argument to a comparison of the strata in 

 question with the Carboniferous Shales and Limestone, leaving the 

 Culm-measures (similar to the Coal-measures of South Ireland) above 

 them, and the Old Eed Sandstone below. The conclusions he 

 arrives at are — 1st, that it was a mistake to include under one 

 designation the Old Eed Sandstone and the beds containing marine 

 shells, to which the name " Devonian " has been applied ; 2nd, that 

 these latter are merely geographical representatives of the beds 

 commonly known as the Carboniferous deposits ; and, chronologically, 

 are identical with them." The author says he is still ready to revise 

 these opinions if facts of different tendency are proved. Herein 

 is wisdom, — knowing the imperfection of our best conclusions, he 

 will not be dogmatic, but waits for further proofs of his own views, 

 or stronger evidence of other hypotheses. At all events, there is 

 much more to be done with the so-called ^'Devonian" rocks. 

 Godwin-Austen regards some of them at least as the southern 

 equivalent (separated by an old land-barrier) of the Upj)er Silurian ; 

 and in Bohemia " Devonian " and Upper Silurian fossils are said to be 

 commingled. Shall we have to fall back on the great " Kohlen- 

 Periode " of Bronn, or will both "Devonian " and Upper Silurian 

 hold their own after all ; the latter because it clearly underlies the 

 gi'eat Carboniferous Limestone, the former because the Limestones 

 of Plymouth, etc., are unattached in Mr. Jukes' scheme? At all 

 events the students of "Homotaxis" may work with advantage on 

 these palaeozoic fields ; where Mr. Kelly (see above), puzzled with 

 their rough and weedy appearance, began picking the loose stones j 



