MR. H. B. BEADY ON PALAEOZOIC COEALS. 201 



XXI. — On Casts of Palceozoic Corals found amongst the Refuse of 

 Alhali-worhs. By Henby B. Beady, E.L.S., &c. 



Some time ago my friend, Mr. Archibald Stevenson, brought to 

 me a lump of refuse picked up from the waste-heap at the Jar- 

 row Chemical Works, which was so far different from the rest 

 in its general appearance as to have excited his curiosity. The 

 mass had certain characters which seemed to indicate an organic 

 origin ; but they were too obscure to admit of any very positive 

 judgment without more opportunity of comparison than this spe- 

 cimen afforded. Further search set the matter at rest, bringing 

 to light specimens of two or three species of " carboniferous" 

 corals. 



On making enquiry into the history of the refuse in which 

 these were found, I ascertained that a quantity of " Black Lime- 

 stone" had been brought into the Tyne from Ireland (Co. Dublin?) 

 as ballast, and had been taken into the chemical works as mate- 

 rial for the production of carbonic acid, but it was found to con- 

 tain so large a proportion of matter insoluble in hydrochloric acid 

 that it could not be used for the purpose. The "insoluble" 

 remaining in the generators was thrown out as refuse, and the 

 remainder of the stone was burnt for quick-lime. 



Subsequently I had the opportunity of searching the heap very 

 carefully, in company with Mr. Stevenson and Mr. D. 0. Brown, 

 and we had the good fortune to find examples of about half-a- 

 dozen species of Carboniferous Limestone corals. Dr. Duncan has 

 been good enough to examine these, and states that several of 

 the specimens belong to a species of Zaphrentis hitherto unde- 

 scribed ; that the rest are well known and are as follows : — 



Sgringopora geniculata, Phillips. 

 Michelinia megastoma, Phillips, sp. 

 Zaphrentis caryophylloides, Edwards. 

 Zaphrentis cylindrica, Scouler, sp. 

 Lithostrotion Phillipsii, Edwards. 



The specimens consist of siliceous casts of the calcareous skele- 

 tons of the corals, and they are so completely decalcified that 



