si 
nodules in which the fossils chiefly occur are oval or oblong in shape, according 
to the form of the organism which they enclose. They consist of a dull grey com- 
pact, somewhat argillaceous limestone, and show lines of deposit corresponding 
in plane to the stratification of the shales among which they lie. They are 
sometimes crusted with the same fibrous divergent calcite layer, as at Gamrie. 
The fishes are admirably preserved ; indeed, they here surpass those from any 
other nodule-bearing locality in the region of the Moray Firth. They are not 
strictly confined to the nodules, though far more abundant and perfect there; 
they may be found occasionally even in some of the shaly and sandy layers in 
the overlying conglomerate. * 
Three miles to the south-west of the Tynet Burn a section has been cut by 
the Spey on its left bank between Fochabers Bridge and Dipple, exposing strata 
similar to those last described. Soft dull red pebbly, sometimes rain-pitted, 
sandstones, shales, and clays, with bands of fine conglomerate, dip gently 
towards N.N.W., resting upon a very coarse conglomerate seen at the bottom 
of the bank, and passing under a higher conglomerate and red pebbly sand- 
stones.t The red shaly bands contain red calcareous nodules in which many 
ichthyolites have been obtained. Hence we observe that the same intercala- 
tion of the ichthyolitic nodules in a conglomeratic deposit continues to be the 
rule. 
The species of fossil-fishes obtained from Tynet and Dipple include the 
following :—Acanthodes pusillus (Ag.); Chetracanthus microlepidotus (Ag.); 
C. Murchisoni; Diplacanthus striatus (Ag.); D. striatulus; Glyptolepis leptop- 
terus (Ag.) ; Osteolepis major (Ag.). 
From underneath these shaly strata there rises along the right bank of the 
Spey a great mass of conglomerate, presenting many points of resemblance to 
that which underlies the fish-beds of Gamrie. It is a red brecciated rock, so 
loosely compacted, sub-angular, and rudely stratified, that it can hardly be 
distinguished from the red boulder-clay which caps it. A further resemblance 
to the drift deposit is afforded by the peculiar style of weathering. Every little 
runnel has cut for itself out of the conglomerate a deep ravine, from the sides 
of which project picturesque groups of buttresses and pillars, each with its 
capping of boulder-clay. Those singular features remind one of the well-known 
earth pillars in some of the valleys of the Tyrol. The conglomerate extends up 
the valley as far as Boat of Bridge, beyond which it is succeeded by the meta- 
morphic rocks. Though its angle of inclination is low (1° to 5°), it probably 
reaches a depth of at least 500 or 600 feet. This thick mass, however, must 
be of very local occurrence. It disappears northward, or dwindles down into a 
436 PROFESSOR GEIKIE ON THE 
* Matcotmson, op. cit. p. 346. 
+ See Maxcoumson, op. cit. p. 345. he ' 

