Meeting of the British Association — Exeter, 1869. 449 



more frequently subjects of local interest have supplied the matter 

 for this purpose, and it is in connection with the latter that I shall 

 occupy for a short time your attention. 



In no portion of Great Britain have we a better development of 

 the series of rocks which forms the link between the well-established 

 Devonian formation and the succeeding well-recognised Carboniferous 

 group than in this county. The rocks which form the link I refer 

 to are known to geologists as the Pilton Beds, deriving their name 

 from the locality in Devonshire where they are best developed. 

 These rocks have been made the subject of investigation by Sir 

 Eoderick I. Murchison, Professor Sedgwick, Sir H. T. de la Beche, 

 Mr. Weaver, Mr. Godwin-Austen, Professor Phillips, and others ; 

 and of late they have been carefully examined by Mr. Jukes, Mr. 

 Salter, Mr. Townshend Hall, and Mr. Etheridge. My reason for 

 referring to these rocks is to point out their relation to certain strata 

 which are very well exhibited in the south-west of Ireland, and 

 which occur in a horizon corresponding to the Pilton Shales. The 

 Irish representatives of the Pilton Shales are marked by a mineral 

 aspect very nearly allied to their equivalents in this country; and 

 they contain organic remains of a type very closely approximating 

 to those found in the Pilton rocks. Before alluding to the Pilton 

 Beds, I will refer to their Irish representatives, and to the rocks 

 upon which these repose. In doing so, I shall avail myself of the 

 labours of the late Mr. Jukes, and the other officers of the Irish 

 branch of the Geological Survey, who were for several years engaged 

 upon these rocks. 



And here permit me to pay a passing tribute to the memory of 

 one who has so recently been removed from the scene of his labours. 

 For more than eighteen years the late Mr. Jukes filled the office of 

 Director of the Geological Survey of Ireland ; and the numerous 

 maps and memoirs which have emanated from this Survey while 

 under his control speak alike of the labour and accuracy with which 

 this work has been done. Every geologist personally acquainted 

 with the late Mr. Jukes must know how ready he was on every 

 occasion to impart all the knowledge he possessed to those who 

 sought it ; and that earnest love of his subject and kindness of 

 heart which so distinguished him caused him to be beloved by all 

 who had the pleasure of his acquaintance. On many occasions 

 this Section of the British Association has had valued communi- 

 cations from him ; and many who are now present will well 

 remember the apt and vigorous manner of Mr. Jukes when he had 

 anything to address to this Section, 



The portion of Ireland nearest Devonshire where we have rocks 

 which can be coinpared with those of this county, is the neighbour- 

 hood of the town of Wexford. Here are strata reposing upon Cam- 

 brian rocks, which have been assigned to the Old Ked Sandstone by 

 the officers of the Irish Survey, and which attain a thickness of about 

 200 feet. At the western extremity of the county of Wexford, at 

 Hook Point, the Old Eed Sandstones are from GOO to 700 feet thick. 

 In the Comeragh Mountains, to the north-west, they have a thickness 



VOL. VI.— NO. LXIV. 29 



