KILMARNOCK, GALSTON, AND KILWINNING COAL FIELDS, AYRSHIRE. 309 



In looking over the horizons from which the fossils contained in the following list 

 have been collected, one cannot fail to be struck with the absence of all records of fossil 

 plants from some of the coal seams. The explanation is, that the shales overlying some 

 of the coals are very barren, and though I have no doubt that more careful observations 

 would have revealed some plant remains, still fossils are, in the cases referred to, very rare, 

 and when they do occur, are probably so imperfect and fragmentary that specimens have 

 not been collected. Mr Smith informed me that the only specimen of fossil plant that 

 he ever saw from the turf coal at Kilwinning, was the single example of Sigillaria 

 Walchii, Sauveur, which forms our only record for the species. 



The Whistler Seam, Kilmarnock, appears to be the most fossiliferous, and from it have 

 been collected the greater portion of the species known to occur in the district. Future 

 investigations may show that some of the species are more common than we at present 

 suspect, and I hope that no opportunity will be lost in increasing our knowledge of the 

 fossil flora of this coal field. 



The Kilmarnock and Kilwinning Coal Fields afford many fine sections for studying 

 the strata. The sandstone quarries of Stevenston, Dean Quarry, near Kilmarnock, and 

 Woodhill Quarry, Kilmaurs, gave interesting sections, where, in addition to good exposures 

 of the bedded sandstones, one or more coal seams were seen. The two former are not 

 worked at present, and being partially filled with water, some of their interest is lost ; 

 but that at Woodhill, Kilmaurs, which is still worked, exhibits the following section : — 



Boulder clay (not shown in woodcut) — 



a. Grey sandy shale with nodules of impure clay ironstone. (This is 



the bed which has yielded many good fossil remains), . 5 feet. 



b. White sandstone, . . . . . 15 or 16 feet. 



c. Soft grey shale, ...... 3 feet. 



d. Durroch coal, ...... 2 feet. 



e. Dark shale with Stigmaria and spores,* . . .2 inches. 



Curious balls of coal occur in some of the seams. They vary in size from very small 

 to larger than a man's head. In composition they do not differ 

 from the rest of the seam, and the ordinary bedding of the 

 coal passes through them. It is difficult to explain how they 

 have been formed. Mr Smith, who has sent me a small specimen 

 from the lower part of the Parrot Coal of Kilwinning, is of 

 opinion, that in that case at all events, it is the result of heat, 

 and this may possibly be the explanation. I have also speci- 

 mens from the Tourha' Coal, Bonnyton Pit, Kilmarnock. The 



lf . Tin -r» Tf • i • t Section exposed at Woodhill 



coal lormmg the balls at Bonnyton Pit is equal in quality to the Quarry. 



rest of the seam. As the result of burning, some of the coal at Muirkirk has assumed 



a columnar structure. 



* I am indebted to Mr A. Sinclair for this section. 



