GLENGARIFF GRITS AND SLATUS. 707 
the Old Red Sandstone in the Kenmare and Glengariff districts. In 
the Dingle promontory, as has been stated, the Old Red Sandstone 
is in the highest degree unconformable to the Silurian and “ Dingle 
beds ;” but it has been supposed that in the districts south of Dingle 
Bay, there is a gradual passage from “the Dingle beds” (Glengariff- 
grit series) up into the Old Red Sandstone and Carboniferous series. 
On this account it was found impossible to draw a boundary be- 
tween the Old Red Sandstone and Glengariff-grit series, and the 
whole is coloured “Old Red Sandstone” on the Survey maps*. 
Again, in the words of Griffith, the matter is thus stated :—‘‘ Here, 
at the very threshold, we are apparently met with an insurmount- 
able difficulty, and that is, that we actually find the Glengariff grits 
gradually conforming upwards, not only into the Old Red Sandstone 
SW AR but also, as a matter of course, conforming to the plant-beds 
of the Yellow Sandstone, such as those of the Coomhola or Roughty 
rivers, as well as to the Carboniferous slate, the Lower and Upper 
Limestone, and the Coal” +. Certainly, if this “‘ apparently ” con- 
formable passage was a reality, it would present a very strange and 
unusual phenomenon in geological science ; for it would amount to 
this, that within the short distance across Dingle Bay we should 
have two formations, on one side in the highest degree discordant 
to one another, and on the other, concordant, and passing insensibly 
the one into the other. On the first consideration, therefore, 
the supposition is very improbable, because 1t may well be ques- 
tioned if such an amount of disturbance and denudation as took 
place between the formation of the ‘ Dingle beds ” and the Old Red 
Sandstone could be confined to the narrow space of the Dingle pro- 
montory. Asa matter of fact, however, I believe the supposition 
is entirely groundless, and arises from the resemblance which exists 
between the upper part of the Old Red Sandstone and the upper 
beds of the “ Dingle” or “ Glengariff-grit ” series. 
For the purpose of investigating this question, my colleagues and 
{ visited the sections on both sides of the Roughty river at Kenmare, 
also at Sneem, which lies about twelve miles west of Kenmare, on 
the northern shores of Kenmare Bay, and lastly at Glengariff; and 
we ultimately arrived at the conclusion that at all these points the 
Lower Carboniferous beds rest directly upon the ‘‘ Glengariff” or 
‘“‘ Dingle beds,” the Old Red Sandstone being altogether absent. If 
this be so, there can be no such passage as that supposed ; on the con- 
trary, there is a wide hiatus, a whole formation being absent at the 
line of junction. I shall now give a brief account of each of these 
sections, beginning with those in the neighbourhood of Kenmare. 
1. Kenmare Sections.—The first is one near Roughty Bridge, 
about three miles above the village of Kenmare, and on the south 
bank of the Roughty river. It is of special interest, as it commences 
in the Carboniferous Limestone, which lies in a narrow trough. The 
beds dip at high angles, 70°-80°. 
The upper portions of the beds underlying the Carboniferous slates 
* See supra, note by Prof. Jukes, p. 701. 
+ Journ. Geol. Soc. Dublin, vol. viii. p. 11. 
