Geology and Geography. 375 



particularly that of Cork. There the coal strata consist of 

 stone-coal, shale, clay-ironstone, fire-clay, a quartzose rock which 

 can hardly be termed sandstone. The dip is to the south, and 

 the limestone at the edge of the coal-field dips to north, but the 

 exact point of junction at Blackwater is not visible. The coal 

 strata have an undulating character. A section of parts of the 

 counties of Cork and Limerick was exhibited. The coal for- 

 mations of the north contain bituminous coal. That of the 

 county of Monaghan rests on greywacke, and its lower beds are 

 chiefly sandstone ; and that of southern Tyrone and Fermanagh 

 contains thin seams of coal. The coal-field of northern Tyrone, 

 which is richer, and has been described in a separate report by 

 Mr Griffith, consists of two parts, an outer of limestone, sand- 

 stone, and shale, and a little coal ; and an inner, containing a 

 greater proportion of coal, which is of a soft description. There 

 is another coal-field in the north-west of Fermanagh, and there 

 is also the singular and disturbed coal district of Antrim. The 

 formations newer than the coal strata occurring in Ireland, are 

 confined to the north-east part of the island, and consist of new 

 red sandstone, a magnesian limestone, lias, greensand, and chalk. 

 The new red sandstone occurs on both sides of the trap district of 

 Derryand Antrim, viz. to the west, beginning at Caledon, and ex- 

 tending due north to Macgilligan, county of Berry, whence it may 

 be traced round to Donegal ; and to the east of the trap district 

 .it extends past Belfast. On the south side of Belfast loch there 

 is a deposit of magnesian limestone, the only one in Ireland. 

 In some places the new red sandstone abounds in gypsum. The 

 lias occurs at Larne, in the county of Antrim. Some details 

 were given respecting the greensand and the chalk. Mr Grif 

 fith deferred the consideration of the unstratified rocks till ano- 

 ther day. 



Mr James Brycejun. of Belfast, offered some remarks on 

 Mr Griffith's account of the Geology of Ireland. He stated 

 that the north of Ireland presents many evidences of diluvial 

 action, in the form and direction of its valleys and gravel ridges, 

 in the loose masses of rock which everywhere strew the surface, 

 and in the contents of the deposits of gravel which are common 

 over the whole country. The county of Down is composed of 

 granite and greywacke, Antrim and eastern Berry of the trap 

 formation, Armagh and Tyrone of sandstones and the carboni- 



