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Clashbennie Zone with Holoptychius 'Nobillssimus, Phyllolepis Concen- Tricus, and Glyptole Pis Elegans

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Clashbennie Zone with Holoptychius 'Nobillssimus, Phyllolepis Concen- Tricus, and Glyptole Pis Elegans Downloaded from http://jgslegacy.lyellcollection.org/ at New York University on September 12, 2016 136 PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAI~ SOCIETY. [may 18, also described at p. 208 of ' The Sketch-book of Popular Geology,' it is needless to introduce it here. Feeling confident that no apolosT is due for submitting to the Geological Society the foregoing pas- sages from the pen of one of the most original and philosophical writers of the age, I will close the series with a paragraph highly characteristic of the resolute yet patient method of his scientific labours :-- "For my own part, I am determined to go stubbornly on, adding fact to fact, and testing earlier by later observations, convinced that, if I succeed in getting Truth out of the deep weU in which, in this game of Ichthyoiitic reading, as in so many others, it is her nature to hide herself, her identity will be ultimately recognized, however authoritatively it may be challenged or denied on her first appearance." 2. On the YELLOW SANDSTONE of DURA DEN and its FossI~ FishEs. By the Rev. JoHN ANDERSON, D.D., F.G.S., &e. [This Paper was withdrawn by the Author with the permission of the Council.] (Abstract.) IN his geological remarks on Dura Den, the author described the sedimentary strata in the vicinity as consisting of (in ascending order)--l. Grey sandstone, the equivalent of the Carmylie and Forfarshire flagstones, with Cephalaspis and Pter~/gotus. 2. The red and mottled beds, such as those of the Carse of Gowrie, and the Clashbennie zone with Holoptychius 'nobillssimus, Phyllolepis concen- tricus, and Glyptole_pis elegans. 3. Conglomerates, marls, and corn- stone, with few and obscure fossils. 4. The Yellow Sandstone, rich in remains of HoloTtychius and other fishes, and about 300 or 400 feet in thickness. This sandstone is seen to rest unconformably on the Clashbennie series of the Old Red at the northern opening of the Den, and at the southern end is unconformably overlain by the Car- boniferous rocks. It is also exposed beneath the lower coal-series of Cults, the Lomonds, Binnarty, and the Cleish Hills. It is seen also in Western Scotland (Renfrewshire and Ayrshire), and in Ber- wickshire and elsewhere in the south, with its Pterichthyan and Holoptychian fossils. In the author's opinion it is entirely distinct from the "Yellow Sandstone" of the Irish geologists. At Dura Den one thin bed in the Yellow Sandstone especially teems with fossil fish. The Pamphractus-bed, towards the top of this thick deposit, is the only other stratum bearing fossil remains. In 1858 a remarkably fine Holoptychius Andersoni was met with in the fish-bed; and this, with many other specimens, fully bears out Agassiz's conjectures for completing the form and details of the fish where his materials had been insufficient. Dr. Anderson thinks that the supine position of the Holoptychii is of rare occurrence ; he has observed them usually to lie on their side. H. Andersoni and H. Flemingii are regarded by the author as specifically one, as he Downloaded from http://jgslegacy.lyellcollection.org/ at New York University on September 12, 2016 1859.J LANCASTERAND WRIGHT--StlIREOAK COLLIERY. 137 has not been able, in the numerous Holoptychii that he has seen, to regard as distinct the differences pointed out in the descriptions of these two reputed species. Dr. Anderson also offered some remarks on the Glyptopomus minor (Agass.), the specimen of which was obtained from this locality ; and he drew attentioa to two as yet undescribed fishes% also from Dura Den. Jure 1, 1859. James Lamont, Esq., Knockdow, Argyllshire, and William Long- man, Esq., 36 Hyde Park Square, were elected Fellows. The following communications were read :-- 1. On the SINKING at SHIREOAK COLLYERY, WORKSOP, to the "ToF HARD COAL" Or " BA~SL;EY COAL." By Jom~ LA~'~CXSTEB, Esq., and CHaRLeS C. WRmHT, Esq., F.G.S. As the sinking at Shireoak to the " Top Hard or Barnsley Coal" is not only in a new district, but has also been carried through a con- siderable thickness of Permian rocks and Coal-measures which have not been proved elsewhere, we venture to think that our sections and some account of the strata passed through will be of interest to this Society. In March 1854 Mr. Lancaster commenced sinking two pits for the Duke of :Newcastle on the north-western side of his Worksop Manor Estate, where the Coal-measures are overlaid by a consider- able thickness of Permian rocks. A bore-hole had been sunk some years previously on the same estate by Mr. John Woodhouse, to prove the minerals ; and, though it was carried to a depth of more than 300 yards, no satisfactory rcsnlts were obtained, no workable coal or ironstone being found. These specimens having been submitted to Prof. Huxley for description, have been respectively named by him Phaneropleuron Andersoni and GlylMol~mus Kinnairdii. See ' Dura Den ; a Monograph of the Yellow Sandstone,' &c., by J. Anderson, D.D., F.G.S. 1859. .
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