53 
sand of a sea shore — a leaf here, a branch there. Occasionally we find 
a fragment that has apparently been washed down from the coal forests, 
carried across the sands of the shore, and then, transported far out to 
sea, has sunk down amidst the calcareous mud which we now call 
Limestone. The remains of life, such as they are, are, however, not 
unfrequent. There are few quarries of sandstone where you cannot 
see black marks representing vegetable matter ; often there are worm 
tracks and ripple marks in the bedding of flagstones and in the shales. 
Goniatites and Pecten papyraceus may be often found, though generally 
bruised and broken. We have thin seams of coal in different horizons 
of the strata, which were worked within the last twenty years, but they 
do not supply us with good fossils. They are now neglected on account 
of the cheap railway carriage from the coal fields proper, but they may 
at some time be found valuable if the price of coal continues to increase 
as it bids fair to do. I had hoped to have microscopic sections of these 
low coals for your examination to-day, and to have proved as I suspect, 
that these beds were patches of vegetation that had been some time 
floating in water before they settled to their present position. It seems 
very possible that many minute marine or estuarine animal remains may 
be found lodged in this coal, which are not found in coals higher up 
in the series. 
I have thus placed before you briefly, and I am afraid but roughly, 
the features of the district. There are other circumstances of local 
interest upon which I have not touched, but which are well worthy of 
attention, and which, if not coming within the scope of that part of your 
society which is geological, may safely be included in the part called 
polytechnic. I refer to the share which ancient geological changes 
have had in introducing manufactures by providing water power ; the 
peculiar combination of circumstances which was the means of estab- 
lishing blast furnaces for smelting iron on the tops of our hills ; the 
effect of our large valleys in retaining the peculiarities and dialect of 
their inhabitants, and the relationship in appearance and language, 
which may be found among people in these secluded localities, to 
certain North-German races ; the change of climate, as evidenced by 
an altered vegetation ; and other changes in trade and society, which 
come within the range of history. These may become subjects of 
interest to local students, and are better worth their attention than 
many of the things which now occupy their leisure time. 
Mr. W. Pengellt, F.R.S., who was present by invitation, then 
offered, at the request of the meeting, remarks on some of the questions 
relating to denudation, which had been raised by the Chairman's 
Address. 
A paper on "The Formation of Anthracite" was then read by 
Mr. L. C. MiALL. (See page 22.) 
