COAL-FIELD OF CLACKMANNANSHIRE. 137 



South Wales, and at Brora in Sutherlandsliirc. 

 In the rocks of the Transition Mountains, imme- 

 diately adjoining the coal-field, I never could dis- 

 cover the least appearance of organic remains. 



The Clackmannanshire coal-field, as represented 

 in the sections, gives a good example of the ge- 

 neral form and situation of the coal-fields in Great 

 Britain, with this exception, that beds of greenstone 

 are not found overlying any of the thick coals. No 

 limestone has yet been found ; but I have reason to 

 conclude it will be found in the lower series of the 

 strata, at a great depth under the strata which have 

 been ascertained. 



The coal-fields which differ in a very remarkable 

 manner from all the other coal-fields in Great Bri- 

 tain, are, the coal-field at Johnstone, near Paisley, 

 in Renfrewshire ; the coal-field at Brora in Suther- 

 landshire ; and the Staffordshire coal-field. Of these 

 singular and most interesting coal-fields, I have made 

 several sections. To describe these coal-fields pro- 

 perly, would require distinct and minute descrip- 

 tions. We can only remark here, that, in the 

 Johnstone coal-field, the upper stratum of rock is 

 compact greenstone, above 100 feet in thickness, not 

 in conforming position with the coal strata, but over- 

 lying ; then a few fathoms of soft sandstone and 

 slate-clay, alternating and uncommonly soft. Under 

 this, in one place, there are no fewer than ten beds 

 of coal lying one immediately above the other, with 

 a few divisions of dark-coloured indurated clay. 



