BRITISH ASSOCIATION MEETING AT NEWCASTLE. 383 
of the very curious joiut-structure, wliicli was nowhere better exhibited 
than at the Giant's Causeway. 
On the BiVALYED ENXOilOSXEACA OP THE CARBONIFEEOrS StBATA 
OF Great Britain and Ireland. By Professor Eupert Jones. 
Fossil Irishes from the Permian Limestone. By Mr. J. W. 
Kirkby. — The object of the paper was to record the discovery of fish- 
remains in the Upper Magnesian limestone of the Permian formation, the 
' discovery being of interest, especially on account of the remains having 
been found at a horizon considerably higher in the Permian series than any 
vertebrate remains had been previously known to occur. The fossils were 
first noticed in August, 1861, in a newly-opened quarry belonging to Sir 
Hedworth Williamson, at Fulwell, a mile and a half to the north of Sun- 
derland. Most of them are found in one bed or zone of beds of limestone, 
there nevertheless being several instances of their occurrence both above and 
below. The same fish-bed appeared to extend considerably to the north- 
east, a portion of a small fish having been obtained from Marsden Bay. 
The fossils were almost invariably perfect individuals. Fully nine-tenths 
of the specimens found belonged to a single species of Palsoniscus. The 
remainder belonged probably to two, or probably to three, species of the 
same genus and to a species of Acrolepis. The Pala^onisci were small, the 
largest being but little over 4 inches in length. The Acrolepis seemed to 
have attained a length of 12 inches. Associated with the fish-remains 
there occurred rarely fragments of plants. These, though imperfect, ap- 
peared to be referable to three species ; one a Calamite, another a Caulerpa, 
and the third was a large reed-like form, whose generic relations were at 
present difficult to determine. These were the only fossils that had been 
met with along with the fish. These fish-bearing strata were 150 feet 
from the top of the upper limestone. The discovery carried the Permian 
vertebrate from the lower beds of the Durham series high into the upper, 
and near enough to the Trias to give to their occurrence perhaps more than 
usual interest. 
Mr. Howse suggested that as the Palsconiscus was a freshwater fish, and the mag- 
nesiaa limestoue not a freshwater fonnalion, the plants had heeii drifted with the tish 
into the sea, and hoth deposited together in the limestoue. 
Swedish Fossils. — Mr. J. G. Jeffreys gave a list of the Upper Ter- 
tiary fossils of Uddewalla, in Sweden. 
On the Upper Tertiary Strata of the Bohuslan District. By 
Dr. A. W. Malm. — This was another contribution from Sweden. It had 
been accompanied by a slab, which, unfortunately, excited the suspicions 
of the Customs' oflicers, who, suspecting perhaps the concealment of 
brandy or cigars, or concluding that the slab was rubbish, had broken it up 
and destroyed it. 
The President, Mr. Warington Smyth, remarked that observation was now establishing, 
beyond the possibility of a doubt, that certain portions of the north of Europe were now- 
being elevated at a slow, still, comparatively speaking, rapid rate above the level of the 
sea, and also that we had in our country, especially in ^Vales, most conclusive evidence 
that the land had been elevated to an enormous height within a comparatively recent 
period. Dr. Malm had shown that there had been almost magical transformation in 
Sweden ; but nearer home we might find the same class of phenomena. He had now 
to call attention to a most extraordinary depression between Durham and the south of 
the Tyne. A paper to be read showed that at a recent period, comparatively speaking, 
there had been a channel of considerable depth between Durham and a point above the 
High Level Bridge. The subject was of much importance to the coal trade, and it had 
excited great interest among viewers and miners generally. 
