1865. J Science in the Provinces. 527 



thick. The general direction of the clip of the beds is east, or north- 

 east ; but a few hundred yards west of the first shaft a fault of 90 

 yards occurs, bringing the cannel to within about 35 yards from the 

 surface, and at the same time reversing the dip. The seams of coal 

 between the main coal and the cannel are seven or eight in number, 

 giving a thickness of 16 feet to 24 feet of coal. There are also 

 additional seams below the cannel, and some valuable iron ores. The 

 quality of the cannel is extremely variable. At Leeswood, the roof 

 is a rich " oleaginous " shale. Next below comes the " smooth 

 cannel," which passes down into " curly cannel," so called from its 

 peculiar fracture. According to a report by Dr. Andrew Fyfe, of 

 Aberdeen, the Leeswood Green coals are of excellent quality as gas- 

 producing coals, especially the curly cannel, which may be con- 

 sidered as nearly of the same value as Torbane Hill coals ; whilst for 

 coke-producing, it far surpasses the latter. Some of the shales 

 associated with the cannel yield a fair percentage of paraffin. In some 

 places, the cannel is entirely of the " smooth " variety., or is replaced 

 by ordinary bituminous coal. Mr. Beckett considers the Leeswood 

 cannel of Flintshire to correspond with the lower yard coal of Euabon, 

 in the Denbighshire coal-field, which indeed has recently been met 

 with south of Euabon as a true cannel, nearly four feet thick. Com- 

 plete sections of the strata in Flintshire and near Euabon are appended 

 to the paper. 



The Distribution of Organic Remains in the North Staffordshire Coal- 

 field. — This paper, by Mr. John Ward, is highly important. It has 

 been often remarked that whilst we are well acquainted with the 

 fauna and flora of the coal formation as a whole, scarcely anything 

 has been done towards an examination of its constituent beds in any 

 given locality, with the view of ascertaining what species or genera 

 are specially characteristic of its several subdivisions. In the present 

 paper, this object is attempted for the coal-field of North Stafford- 

 shire ; and more especially that part of it called the Potteries coal- 

 field. The coal measures have been divided by Mr. Smyth into four 

 parts : — 1st. The upper measures, consisting of marls and clays down 

 to the top of the Eed Mine, 1,000 feet. 2nd. The Pottery coal and 

 ironstone measures, down to the Ash or Eowhurst coal, 1,000 to 1,420 

 feet. 3rd. Lower thick measures, including the Winpenny and 17 

 or 18 seams of coal above two feet thick, 1,400 to 2,400 feet. 4th. 

 Lowest measures, including the Wetley and Shafferlong coals, about 

 800 feet. The upper or 1st division is not rich in fossils, but Anthra- 

 comya Phillipsii is abundant. The 2nd or Pottery measures have an 

 extraordinary series of organic remains. About twelve yards above 

 the Bassey mine ironstone is a bed of freshwater limestone, with 

 Spirorbis carbonarius and scales of fish : this seems to correspond 

 with the Ardwick limestone of the Manchester coal-field. The 

 Bassey mine ironstone (Eed mine) has an immense number of Anthra- 

 comya Phillipsii, with large specimens of Stigmaria. The Gubbin 

 ironstone has Megalichthys Hibberti, Diplodus gibbosus, and spines 

 of Ehizodus Hibberti. Palasoniscus, which is common in other beds, 

 is here rare or absent. The deep mine ironstone is full of beautiful 



