GEOLOGICAL DESIDERATA. 
303 
before a scries of fossils in sufficiently good preservation could bo 
obtained to make accurate lists, but tbey are very abundant. 
Mr. S. R. Pattisonhas publisbed some important facts regarding those 
localities, in the " Transactions of the Geological Society of Cornwall," 
Yol. I., and it only needs to follow out tho inquiries begun by him to 
enable us to understand very clearly the age of the Petherwyn slates, and 
their relation to the base of the Culm-series, which overlies them. I^ear 
Barnstaple, the most instructive sections are from Pilton to Sloly, at 
Braunton, and at Baggy Point. But these have been comparatively 
well examined ; the point that most wants investigation is the south 
coast of the Barnstaple river, along the promenade, and thence round to 
the angle opposite Heanton Court. 
These fossils are probably the same as on the opposite bank from 
Stroud to Heanton Court, but a good series of each should be compared 
and named from Phillips' Pala;ozoic fossils. Then the shores of 
Fremiugton Pill offer a perfect section of the higher beds from opposite 
the Weir to the cutting of the Bideford Eailway. The fossils will be 
found to be different to those of Heanton, in some respects, and mostly 
Carboniferous-limestone species. (Phillips' Geol. Yorkshire, and 
M'Coy's Synopsis of the Curb. Foss. of Ireland, will give the names.) 
It will be necessary to go when the tide is half out ; but the 
abundance of fossils in the nodules, to say nothing of the beautiful 
scenery of the river-banks, will well repay a little trouble, and the beds 
are all easily accessible. For more adventurous hammerers the south and 
north cliffs of Baggy Point will afford much interesting work ; but this 
I will point out more fully in a future number. The point to which 
these researches lead is the true boundary between the Carboniferous 
and Devonian rocks, not yet ascertained for Britain. 
For tourists in the West of Ireland, tho fossiliferous beds along the 
south- east shore of Glengariff Bay will show the transition from Old Red* 
Sandstone into Carboniferous Slate, and they are highly fossiliferous. 
Dunworly Bay and the Seven Heads, County Cork, is a fine section for 
boat- excursions, and there are others equally interesting. There arc 
abundance of new species to be obtained, but the object should be to 
ascertain, by well-collected specimens, where the Carboniferous fauna 
ends downwards. To place (as many geologists are now inclined hastily 
to do) the whole of the upper or conglomerate portion of the Old Red 
Sandstone in the Carboniferous system, is not to be done without 
a more rigid inquiry into the organic remains where these arc to be had. 
But, on the other hand, careful and numerous collections may prove 
this to be necessary. 
I am, dear Sir, yours truly, 
J. W. Salter. 
» See Jouvufil Dublin Gcol. Soc, Vol, VII., Pt, 2, p. G3, 
