

OF TIIE CAKBONLFEKOUS SEETES. <> ; .i7 



de Koninck, of Liege*. We shall take a brief survey of their ob- 

 servations : — 



(1) Belgium. — The lower marine zone of the Coal-formation has 

 been recognized by Prof, de Koninck t. At Chokier-on-the-Meuse 

 a band of limestone is associated with alum-shales containing small 

 Goniatites. From these beds M. de Koninck enumerates 25 species 

 of marine shells also found in the Carboniferous Limestone of Belgium, 

 including Aviculopecten papyraceus, Chonetes, Lingula, Orthoceras 

 (4 species), Nautilus, Goniatites (including G. Listeri), Productus, 

 and fishes of the genera Pcdceoniscus and Campodus Ten species of 

 Carclinia (Anthracosia) are mentioned from the " systeme houiller" of 

 Liege ; but these are probably from the beds above the marine zone. 

 Of the species several are characteristic of Stage E of the Coal-measures 

 of England ; and both Dr. Bonier and M. C. Barrois agree in referring 

 these beds to this stage +. This marine zone at the base of the pro- 

 ductive Coal-measures of Belgium has been noticed in several places, 

 so as to leave no doubt of its general occurrence. It corresponds to 

 the " second niveau fossilifere " of MM. Cornet and Briart, contain- 

 ing Productus carbonarius, Goniatites, Avicida, Chonetes Laguessiana, 

 &c. The remaining five niveaux fossiliferes are characterized 

 by the presence of Anthracosia {Carclinia) and, rarely, Posiclonomya 

 and Mytilus, showing the occurrence of estuarine conditions amongst 

 a great mass (of about 1500 metres) of freshwater beds §. 



(2) North of France. — M. Charles Barrois|| has recently published 

 an account of the discovery which he, in company withM. Gosselct, 

 has made of marine shells at the base of the Coal-measures of the 

 north of France, in a position corresponding to that of the Belgian 

 marine band of Chokier. These fossils have been found at Auchy- 

 au-Bois, Lens, and Carvin — those at the last-named locality being, 

 however, on a higher niveau than those of Auchy, and probably 

 representing the stage of the " Chance Pennystone " of England in 

 Stage F. 



The following have been determined — Cypridina concentrica (De 

 Kon.), Orthoceras Goldfussianum (De Kon.), Nautilus subsulcatus 

 (Phil.), Schizodus sulcatus (Bronn.), Leda attenuata (Elena.), Area 

 Lacordairiana (De Kon.), A. arguta (Phill.), A. elegans (De Kon.), 

 Avicula papyracea (Sow.), Anthracosia (sp.), Spirifer glaber (Mart.), 

 S. mesogonius (M'Coy), S. trigonalis (Mart.), Productus semireticulatus 

 (Mart.), P. carbonarius (De Kon.), P. marginalis (De Kon.), JStrep- 

 torhynchus crenistria (Phil.), Poteriocrinus (sp.). Of these about 

 one half ascend from the Carboniferous Limestone, the remainder 

 being only known in later beds. Another band at Carvin, with 



* Description des animaux fossiles qui se trouveut dansle terrain Carbonifere 

 de Belgique. 



t Ibid. p. 627 (Tableau Besume). 



X Bull, de l'Acad. roy. de Eelgique, 2 e ser. torn, xxxiii. (1872). 



§ Bulletin de la Societe Geologique de France, 3 e ser. torn. ii. 



|| That of the " Pennystone " of Coalbrook Dale. These fossils have also been 

 studied by MM. Duniout, Dewalque, Cornet, and Briart. 



