XXVI. — Notices and Extracts from the Mhiute-Book of the Geological 



Society. 



1 . — Extract from a Letter from George Gordon, Esq., addressed to Roderick 

 Impey Murchison, Esq., P.G.S,, noticing the existence of Blue Clay on the 

 southern side of the Murray Firth. [Read April Uth, 1832.] 



Mr. GORDON, after referring to the memoir of Professor Sedgwick and 

 Mr. Murchison on the North of Scotland, in which has is shown to occur on 

 the northern side of the Murray Firth, points out the existence at Linksfield 

 or Cutley-hill near Elgin, of a stratum of clay inclosing thin bands of lime- 

 stone, and occupying a position analogous to that of the lias on the northern 

 side of the Firth. Mr. Gordon likewise states, that in making the canal to 

 drain Loch Spynie, a bed of clay was penetrated, containing numerous spe- 

 cimens of Belemnites ; and he conceives that a great part of the bay of Los- 

 siemouth belongs to that formation. 



2. — On the Basalt of the Titterstone Clee Hill, Shropshire. By J. Robinson 

 Wright, Esq., F.G.S. [Read May 30th, 1832.] 



The basalt constitutes the two summits of the hill, one of which is occupied 

 by an ancient British encampment, the western or highest part of it being 

 called the "Giant's Chair," and the other summit is known by the name of 

 the Hoar Edge. The basalt rests partly on old red sandstone, and partly on 

 coal measures, and assumes at the " Giant's Chair," as well as along the 

 western escarpment of the Hoar Edge, a columnar structure, the prisms in- 

 clining at an angle of 75°. 



The thickness of the basalt under the encampment has not been ascer- 

 tained, and the author doubts if there be coal beneath it. At the northern or 

 "Far Pit" of the Cornbrook coal-works the basalt is forty yards thick, and a 

 little to the south of it sixty yards. To the west of these pits the coal is 

 entirely '"cutout" by an extensive basaltic dyke, ranging apparently iji a 

 north-east and south-west direction, or nearly parallel with the Hoar Edge ; 

 and the coal is also cut out by it a short distance to the north-west of the Treen 

 pits. In contact with the dyke the coal is injured and said to be sooty. The 

 author suggests that this basalt which the Cornbrook colliers have met with 



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