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CARBONIFEROUS AND PERMIAN FORAMINIFERA. 



BELGIUM.— Table IV. 



The Carboniferous Limestone of Belgium is divided by M. Dupont 1 into six sets of 

 beds, which have been named from the localities in which they are respectively best 

 developed. They are as follows, in ascending series, beginning at the lowest : 



I. Calcaire des Ecaussines — thickness 150 metres, composed of limestones 

 with intercalated shales at the base, with phthanite at the upper part ; 

 the limestones with Spirifer Verneuilli, Sp. mosquensis, Orthis crenistria, 

 and Cyatlioplnjllum plicatum. 

 II. Calcaire de Dinant — thickness 60 metres, a black compact limestone with 

 phthanite having conchoidal fracture. Fossils, Productus Herberti and 

 Pecten intermedins. 



III. Calcaire d'Anseremme — thickness 100 metres, a grey limestone with 



blue veins, more or less siliceous and with phthanite in the lower part. 

 Fossils, Productus Fleminyi and Spirifer mosquensis in the upper part, 

 and Orthis resupinata, which is very characteristic of this division. 



IV. Calcaire de Vaulsor — thickness 100 metres, a grey limestone, often 



magnesian ; the beds full of radiated spathic nodules. Fossils, Spirifer 

 striatus and Sp. cuspidatus ; in the lower part Conocardium alasforme, 

 and in the upper part Bhynchonetta pleurodon and Amjilexus coralloides 

 are especially met with. 

 V. Calcaire de Namur — thickness 100 metres, is the black dolomitic limestone 

 with large Euomphali. It is black and compact at the base, dolomitic in 

 the upper portion ; usually fissured in every direction. Fossils, 

 JEuomphalus cequalis and E. acutus. 

 VI. Calcaire de Vise - — thickness 250 metres, confusedly stratified, variable in 

 structure and colour ; containing a brecciated limestone and rocks of 

 which the structure has become sandy through the decomposition of the 

 dolomite. Fossils, in the lower part, Productus cora and P. undatus ; 

 above, Productus yiyanteus and Chonetes conoides. 



We are at present concerned with the two last named only, the Calcaire de Namur 

 and the Calcaire de Vise, for in these alone have Foraminifera as yet been found. I am 

 indebted to my friend M. Ernest Vanden Broeck, of Brussels, for his assiduous help in 

 procuring for me material for examination from the various limestone beds of Belgium. 

 Out of a very large series forwarded to me at various times only four in all have yielded 



1 " Essai d'une Carte Geologique des Environs de Dinant," 1 Bull. Acad. Sci. de Belg.,' 2nd se>., 

 vol. xix, p. GIG et seq. 



