IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND FEANCE. 173 



of chert covered with Litosiphon pusilus. The local rock is Carbonife- 

 rous limestone, from which the whole of the mud is evidently derived. 



19. Burren, county of Clare. — Sample of bottom of the Red Bank, the 

 property of John C. Singleton, esq., well known for its fattening pro- 

 perties. 



Description. — Gray sand, composed of chert, quartz, comminuted shells 

 (chiefly bivalve and Cerithium reticulatum (]), &c), and spines of Echinus. 

 The mass was held together by a small quantity of fine hydrated silty 

 mud derived from the denudation of limestone (which is the local rock), 

 and very rich in vegetable and animal matter derived from microscopical 

 organisms. 



At the Aughinish side of the bay, there is a bed owned by Mr. James 

 Hynes, the ground of which is very similar. 



2 0. Burren, county of Clare. — Sample of experimental bed of Mr. Henry 

 O' Conn ell, of Limerick, which has been successful to a certain extent. 



Description. — A sand composed of comminuted shells, forms of Cerithium, 

 apparently C. reticulatum, spines of Echinus, young bivalve shells, appa- 

 rently Cardium edule, held together by a fine highly hydrated silty mud, rich 

 in animal matter. The Cerithium formed the greater part of the mass ; 

 the mud was not at all so abundant as in No. 18. 



21 and 22. Traroe, Burren, county of Clare. — Two samples from the 

 part of the Bay from Traroe to Mucknish, upon which are the fattening 

 oyster beds of Mr. Michael Hynes, Mr. Michael Curtin, and Mr. Fergus 

 Curtin. The samples are so much alike that the one description will 

 answer for both. 



Description. — Coarse coral sand — partly cemented together by calc 

 sinter — small univalve shells, fragments of bivalves, spines of Echinus, 

 and limestone pebbles covered with Litosiphon pusilus. 



The celebrated Poldoody Beds are further in-shore, near Bell Harbour. 



23. Bally vaughan, county of Clare. — Sample of bottom of oyster beds 

 belonging to the representatives of the late James Hickey, esq. 



Description. — Fine quartzose beach sand, intermixed with abundance 

 of comminuted shells, a few pebbles of red grits, fragments of oyster 

 shells, and a little hydrated silt abounding in animal matter. The mass was 

 black in the centre when not exposed to air and sunshine. The beds of 

 Curranroe, Burren, and Bally vaughan are all fattening beds, the young 

 oysters for stocking them being brought from the Law Life Assurance 

 Company's oyster beds at Rossmuck, near Ballinahinch, and Berturbay 

 in Galway, and Westport in Mayo. 



24. Besborough, Knock, north shore of Ustuary of Shannon, county of Clare. 



a. Mud from the fattening bed of Mr. R. W. C. Reeves, where the 

 oysters become green-bearded. 



Description. — Rich dark blue clay marl, drying dark whitish gray, con- 

 taining scarcely any quartzose sand, but full of fragments of marine 

 plants. Not a trace of copper could be detected in this mud. Mr. 

 Reeves says that a green weed grows on the mud, but that he does not 

 think the colour of the beard is due to it. He also says that the Pol- 

 doody oyster is green -bearded ; and that the soil is the same as that just 

 described, but that the water is deep, and the oysters never exposed, 

 even at low water of spring tides. 



b. Mud taken from the river out from the shore where trials had 

 been made with hurdles and flags as spat collectors. 



Description. — Blackish blue very unctuous rich clay marl, oxydizing 

 yellow. 



These muds contained Diatomacese (some of the forms being fresh- 

 water ones), Foraminifera, &c. 



25. Carrig Island, in the Estuary of the Shannon, near BallylongforS ', 



