Mr. N. Wood on the Geology of Northumberland, ^c. 331 



especially the beds of Limestone and Hazels or gritty Sandstones, and 

 the Limestone beds are extremely undulatory. Except the seams of 

 Coal, little of mineralogical interest has been discovered in this district ; 

 Lead Ore has been found in several places, but quite insignificant in 

 comparison with the produce of the same extent of measures south of 

 the line of Dykes of Section No. 2, Plate XXVIII. 



The number and thickness of the beds of Coal increase, however, very 

 materially north of this line. At the west extremity of the district, the 

 first bed below the Whin is found east of Talkin, and again at Baron 

 House near Gilsland, where it is between 4 and 5 feet thick. From 

 this latter place it stretches away eastward, along the top of the moors 

 for a considerable distance, rising north. It is again found at Scotch 

 Coulthard, where it is worked, the direction of the beds being north- 

 east, and rising north-west. A seam of Coal crosses the North Tyne 

 near Otterstone Lee, which appears to be the same bed, and is worked 

 on the east bank of that river at Kennel, where it is 5 feet thick, ovei'- 

 laid by a thick bed of Limestone. It is worthy of remark, that the 

 Gilsland mineral water issues out of the strata near this bed of Coal ; 

 and that at Otterstone Lee, nearly in the same position with respect to 

 the Coal, a mineral spring is found agreeing in character with that of 

 Gilsland. If these two seams of Coal be identical, there are other thin 

 beds of Coal between it and the Basalt, as Coal is worked near Belling- 

 ham and other places ; but as the strata here are generally flat and undu- 

 latory, and much intersected by ravines, the same bed may be exposed 

 in different parts, in the line of the full rise of the strata. Proceeding 

 north-eastward from the North Tyne, it is supposed that the Kennel 

 Coal stretches across the moors into the Coquet, as Coal seams are found 

 in different places, and generally underneath a Limestone bed near the 

 head of that river. In Rothbury forest, and again on the moors west 

 of Alnwick, Coal is found in the Limestone beds underneath the Basalt. 

 We find also thin beds of Coal at an inconsiderable depth below the 

 Basalt, west of Belford, and near Haggerston. 



The most considerable seams of Coal, however, occur below the great 

 central beds of Limestone, and near the bottom of the series ; and 



VOL. I. Y y 



