74 
THE GEOLOGIST. 
At page 313 of the above work, Dr. Geinitz says : " Through Mr. Binney 
we have become acquainted with true Eothliegende, and indeed of its up- 
per portion in the region of the Lower Eed Sandstone of the north-west 
of England. That accurate observer mentioned to me tliat the reddish- 
grey sandstone underlying it, and which is very similar to the Lower Red 
Sandstone of the north-east of England, contains plants of the Coal-mea- 
sures, and that it occupies even a lower position than certain limestones of 
the coal-measures which are rich in ichthyolites. I have myself seen from 
the reddish sandstone of Astley, near Manchester, Calamites approxima- 
tus, Schl., and Calamites Suckoici, Brongn. ; from the red shales at Ard- 
wick, Manchester, Sagenaria dichotoma, Sternb., Calamites Suekowi, 
Brong., Sphenopteris irreffularis, Sternb., Splienopteris coralloides, Gutb., 
Dictyopteris neuropteroides, Gutb., Cyatheites villosus, Brong., Cyatheites 
oreopteroides, Gopp., and AletJiopteris lonchitides, Sternb., all true coal 
plants." 
Ko one more than the learned author, Mr. Binney said he was sure, would 
like any mistake to be corrected. Now in the statement that " the reddish- 
grey sandstone underlying it (the true Eothliegende), and which is very 
similar to the Lower Eed Sandstone of the north-east of England, con- 
tains plants of the coal-measures," the Doctor is quite correct ; but when 
he proceeds to state " that it (the true Eothliegende) occupies even a lower 
position than certain limestones of the coal-measures which are rich in ich- 
thyolites," that author had misunderstood him, and had apparently con- 
founded the ribbon-beds of limestone in the red marls lying above the 
pebbly beds at Astley with the L'pper Carboniferous limestones at Ardwick, 
and then stating that such pebble-beds occupy an inferior position to the 
latter. It is certain that the Astley pebble-beds containing coal plants 
occupy a higher geological position than the red shales, which, the Doctor 
truly states, also contain true coal plants. How much higher it is impos- 
sible to say, as it is most probable there are higher Carboniferous strata 
than those yet seen at Ardwick, and there may be Permian strata lower 
than those up to this time met with at Astley — at present we cannot tell. 
As the Permian group of strata is now occupying the attention of geolo- 
gists both in England and on the Continent, the following table of the 
beds in the north-west of England, with their approximate thicknesses, as 
seen at Shawk, west of Carlisle, Westhouse, south of Kirkby Lonsdale, 
and Manchester, in the descending order, may be acceptable : — 
Shawk. 
Westhouse. 
Manchester. 
Feet. 
Feet. 
Feet, 
l.*LaraiQat€d and fine-grained red sandstones. 
300 
Not seen. 
Not seen. 
2. Red and variegated marls, containing some- 
times, but not always, beds of limestone 
j> 150 
Traces of 
300 
and gypsum, with fossil shells of the 
them seen. 
genera Schizodus, Bakevellia, etc. . . 
4 
300 
50 
4. Lower New Red Sandstone, generally soft 
} ^ 
500 
500 
Not seen. 
250 
Not seen. 
6. Astley pebble-beds, containing common coal 
plants, termed by me Lower Permian . 
j- Not seen. 
Not seen. 
eo 
* The first four strata of the above series, Professor Harkness, F.R.S., in a fine natural 
section seen at Hilton Beck, north of Brough, estimates to be of 3000 feet in thickness. 
