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of Yorkshire, were to follow the example of those of the 
Manchester Geological Society, and hold occasional field- 
da3 r s, for examining the Geological peculiarities of the 
different districts in the Riding, much information of an 
important and practical nature might be obtained. An 
Excursion was, therefore, arranged for Wednesday, Septem- 
ber 3rd, 1862, to assemble in the Museum of the Philo- 
sophical and Literary Society of Halifax, at 10 o'clock in 
the morning, to which the members of the Manchester 
Geological Society were invited by circular. The meeting 
of the associated Societies accordingly took place at the 
appointed hour, but owing to the unfavourable state of the 
weather was not so numerously attended as was anticipated. 
There were present Messrs. E. W. Binney, F.R.S., Horsfall, 
Parker, Hodgson, F.G.S., A. Knowles, and Atkinson, from 
Manchester ; the Chevalier W. P. Barbel de Morny, Captain 
of the Imperial Corps of Mines of Russia ; A. H. Green, 
F.G.S., of the Geological Survey of Great Britain ; Pickup, 
of Burnley ; Chatwood, of Bury ; John Waterhouse, F.R.S., 
Dr. Alexander, Leyland, and Ward, of Halifax ; S. Baines, 
of Lightcliffe ; H. Briggs, of Overton, near Wakefield ; 
P. O'Callaghan, B.A., Thomas Wilson, M.A., and H. Denny, 
of Leeds ; Edward Brooke, Jun., of Huddersfield ; R. Carter, 
C.E., J. Richardson, C.E., of Barnsley ; J. Richardson, of 
Southowram ; and Ezra Woodhead, of Low Moor. 
After examining with much interest the collection of 
fossil Coal Plants belonging to the Museum of the Halifax 
Philosophical Society, and some remarkably fine specimens 
peculiar to the Halifax bed, sent for exhibition by different 
gentlemen in the neighbourhood, the party proceeded to 
inspect the Swan Banks Colliery, which is situated on the 
side of a hill overlooking the town of Halifax. Here two 
beds of Coal crop out, known as the soft and hard beds, the 
former 1 foot 5 inches in thickness, and lying about 45 yards 
above the millstone grit ; the latter 2 feet in thickness, and 
