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necessary to point out, that a very trifling amount of geological 
knowledge would have prevented the mistake, and enabled the 
borers to distinguish between Boulder Clay and Fault-stuff. 
ON A STRATUM OF SHALE, CONTAINING FISH REMAINS, IN 
THE LOWER COAL MEASURES. BY JAMES W. DAVIS, 
F.L.S., F.G.S. 
A PECULIAR stratum of shale, which contains so great a 
number of remains of fossil fishes that I venture to call it 
fi Bone-bed, occurs immediately above the Better Bed Coal, 
and is known to extend over a surface 4 to 5 miles in length, 
hy nearly 2 in average breadth. 
The Better Bed Coal is a member of the Lower Coal 
Measures or Ganister Series. It occurs about 700 feet above 
the Kough Rock, the uppermost bed of the Millstone Grits, 
and is separated from the Black Bed Coal by overlying strata of 
an average thickness of 120 feet. It is extensively worked 
by the Low Moor Iron Company, and used by them in smelting 
the clay ironstone of the district. It is pecuKarly valuable 
for this purpose, on account of its freedom from sulphur ; the 
excellence of the iron manufactured by this firm being in a 
ofreat measure ascribed to the use of the Better Bed Coal. 
The following section will explain the position of the 
Bone-bed. The section extends from the Elland Flag-stones 
below, to the Black Bed Coal above : — 
Ft. In. 
Black Bed Coal ... ... ... ... 2 10 
Seat Earth ... ... ... ... ... 3 0 
Argillaceous Shale ... ... ... ... 20 0 
Strong Stone ... ... ... ... ... 15 0 
Galliard ... ... ... ... ... 5 0 
Strong Stone ... ... ... ... ... 20 0 
White Shale ... ... ... ... ... 10 0 
