Geology. 215 



the Mangotsfield Station, where a white quartz pebble band 

 occurs, intercalated between the more solid beds ; in the 

 cutting of the Midland Railway, near Bitton ; also at Framp- 

 ton Cotterell and Iron Acton. Below this comes the Lower 

 division of the Coal Measures, consisting of the third, or 

 New Rock, and the fourth, or Vobster series, in all about 

 2,800 ft. The former is made up of 18 veins, ranging from 

 4ft. to ift. 6in., with a total thickness of 54 ft. ; the latter of 

 8 veins, from 8ft. to ift. 6in., and 28 ft. in thickness. The 

 veins of the New Rock series are used for household purposes, 

 and like those of the upper division, worked without danger 

 from firedamp ; but those of the Vobster series are more 

 adapted for smelting purposes, and are extremely fiery, and 

 much disturbed owing to their proximity to the Mendip 

 Anticlinal. Two other smaller Coal basins have been worked 

 close to our city, one to the east of Corston, at Newton St. 

 Loe, called the " Globe " Colliery ; and the other at Penny- 

 quick Bottom, at Twerton, one mile south east of the " Globe" 

 Colliery. Both of these belong to the lower division, and 

 consist of coal of inferior quality. The former has been 

 closed for a long period, and the latter was re-opened during 

 the coal scare a few years ago, but only for a short time, 

 proving an unprofitable speculation, owing to the disturbed 

 condition of the beds and the consequent irregularity of the 

 seams. These varied from 2 ft. to 5 ft. The total depth of 

 the shaft was 861 ft., and it was sunk through the Lima 

 Bucklandi beds of the Lower Lias — a quarry of that formation, 

 and a few shale tips only now marking the site. In giving 

 these few details of the coal workings, the important basins 

 in the Kingswood district and Golden Valley have been 

 omitted, as they belong rather to the Bristol area. As to the 

 characteristic fossils of the Somerset and Radstock Coal 



