182 Prof. T. Riqjert Jones — On the Carhonifcrous System. 



In Fife the Lower Carboniferous, or Calciferous Sandstone, series 

 appears to be abnormally thick (3900 feet according to Mr. J. W. 

 Kirkby's paper in the Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. No. 144, p. 559), 

 compared with the estimate given by Prof. Geikie for the same 

 series in East-Lothian. In a letter received from the author of the 

 above paper, it is stated that a general section of the Fifeshire 

 Carboniferous series (which, besides being essentially complete, is 

 of interest on account of its being the most northerly exposure of 

 this formation in Britain) in all probability is nearly as follows : — 



feet. feet. 



r 1. Upper Red Beds 900 \ 



I. Coal-measures | 2. Lower Measures with work- '^ \±m \ '^^^'^ 



\ able coals j ) 



II. Millstone-grit series, or Moor Eock .... 300 



f I. Upper portion with lime- \ ,q„ '^ 

 I stones ) I 



III. Carboniferous Lime- J 2. Middle portion with work- ) „„„ ! ,„^q 



stone Series ] able coals j [ 



I 3. Lower portion with lime- \ .„„ | 



(^ stones ) j 



IV. Calciferous Sandstone ^ series .... 4000 



8200 



The English series of Carboniferous strata immediately south of 

 the Border does not apparently differ much from the Scotch. In a 

 sketch of the Geology of Northumberland, by the late Mr. George 

 Tate ("Transact. Nat. Hist. Soc. Northumberland and Durham," 

 1868, vol. ii. pp. 6 — 18), the Carboniferous strata are grouped as 

 below : — 



feet. feet. 



I. Coal-measures .... 2000 



II. Millstone-grit 500 



l\. Calcareous Group, with \ -iijnn \ 



many beds of limestone . . j 



III. Mountain Limestone. . -I 2. Carbonaceous Group, with j I 2600 



seven workable coals and > 900 



\, a few limestones ) , j 



IV. Tuedian Group 1000 



6100 

 The lowest or Tuedian group of this series consists of "grey, 

 greenish, and lilac shales, thin beds of argillaceous and cherty lime- 

 stones, and a few buff magnesian limestones, and of sandstones and 

 slaty sandstones." Several of the shales and sandstones also are 

 calcareous. The characteristic fossils are Stigmaria, Lepidodendron, 

 and Sphenopteris ; Bhizodus and other Fishes ; Molluscs allied to 

 Modiola ; Eiitomostraca ; Spirorhis ; and occasionally such marine 

 forms as Orthoceras, MurcMsonta, and Pleurotomaria. These features 

 are pretty much those of the Calciferous Sandstone on the other 

 side of the Border, with which series of strata Mr. Tate's group 

 is identical. 



1 Basement beds not seen. 



