170 Dr Hibbert on the Limestone of Burdiehouse 



specimens of fish allied to such as are obtained from beds asso- 

 ciated with coal. These facts indicated to me that I had at 

 length found a fresh-water limestone belonging to the carboni- 

 ferous group of rocks. 



This fresh-water formation, which has formed the object of 

 my research, is referable to the lower series of beds belonging 

 to the carboniferous system. In describing it, the first part 

 of the present memoir will be confined to a geological description 

 of the limestone of Burdiehouse, in reference solely to the vege- 

 table and animal remains which it encloses ; — a second part will 

 point out the relations of this limestone to both older and newer 

 rocks ; — while a supplement will include notices of certain other 

 limestones of a similar description, occurring in the vicinity of 

 Edinburgh. 



PART I. 



THE FRESH- WATER LIMESTONE OF BURDIEHOUSE CONSIDERED IN 

 REFERENCE TO THE VEGETABLE ANDANIMAL REMAINS WHICH 

 IT ENCLOSES. 



No geological description whatever having been hitherto 

 given of this limestone, which, until it had been examined by 

 myself, and its high interest explained to the Royal Society of 

 Edinburgh, had been almost unknown, even by name, I must, 

 upon this account, consider myself as having entered upon a 

 ground perfectly unbeaten, which I tread with diffidence. 



This bed of limestone is quarried, with much profit, for the 

 purpose of burning. It is to be seen about four miles to the 

 south of Edinburgh, on the Peebles road, close to the village 

 known by the name of Burdiehouse, which is a corruption of 

 Bourdeaux House. 



NOTES. 



In the Transactions of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, vol. i. p. 311, 

 some little account is given of this village by the Rev. Thomas White, in his 



