G. A. J. Cole—The Ballycastle Coalfield. 85 
VIII.—Nore on tHe BattycastLte CoaLFietp, Co, ANTRIM. 
By Grenvitte A. J. Coz, F.G.S. 
HE recent development of mining in the central area of the 
Ballycastle Coalfield in Co. Antrim has given rise to several 
articles in the daily Press, and it seems worth while to point out that 
the occurrence of coal-seams in the interior of the field was long ago 
proved by borings (see Geological Survey Memoir to Sheets 7 and 8, 
Ireland, published in 1888); while Mr. Symes’s longitudinal section, 
Sheet 30, published by the Geological Survey of the United Kingdom 
in 1890, indicated faithfully the geological conditions. The possibility 
of further development is also mentioned in ‘‘ Ireland, Industrial and 
Agricultural,” published by the Department of Agriculture for 
Ireland in 1901, 
It was left, however, for the North Antrim Mining Syndicate, in the 
last two years, to make a systematic trial of the coalfield, and to prove 
the exact position of the seams of coal. The shaft that has now been 
sunk, under Mr. Braude’s direction, is the result of well-planned 
preliminary borings. It is hardly necessary to add that, despite the 
assertions of the Press, the Director of the Geological Survey of 
Ireland did not furnish any report on the capacity of the field to the 
Mining Syndicate, though he was freely shown what was going on. 
Mr. Braude was, moreover, able to point out an extension of the 
Calciferous Sandstone at one point to the south of the line drawn on 
the geological map of 1887, and Mr. McHenry has since revised this 
boundary for the Survey. But no conflict of opinion has been raised 
between former and present members of the Survey Staff, the 
geological relations of the strata, coal-seams, and ironstone being 
already correctly appreciated. Professor Hull's statement in the 
Report of the Royal Commission on Coal Supplies in 1905, to the 
effect that the resources of the Ballycastle area ‘‘ may be considered as 
practically exhausted,” was, it may be added, regarded in Ireland with 
some astonishment, in view of the records published under his care 
some eighteen years ago. It is probable from the context, however, 
that Professor Hull was thinking of the region bordering on the coast, 
and did not consider the inland area in preparing his report. 
Zee 2 Vi EE FE WV Se 
So ————— 
I.—Tae Tremapocran Series or Swepen. Note upon rue ‘‘ Brprae 
TILL KANNEDOMEN OM CERATOPYGEREGIONEN,’’ WITH SPECIAL REFER- 
ENCE To 1rs DEVELOPMENT IN THE Dusrricr or FAGELSANG IN SKANE. 
By J. C. Mosere and C. O. Sxcerperc, Meddelande fran Lunds 
Geologiska Faltklub. Ser. B, No. 2. Lund, 1906. 
f{\HE memoir before us forms the second of an important series of 
monographs devoted to the study of the detailed paleontology 
and subdivision of well-recognized stratigraphical series as developed 
in South Sweden and Scandinavia generally. The present volume 
deals with the series which Dr. Marr would term Tremadocian, and 
affords a powerful plea for the retention of that series as the basal 
member of the Ordovician system. 
