Page:Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London, vol. 25.djvu/220

 Though so largely composed of limestones, few fossils are to be met with in the upper beds of the Tungting series. I have collected, however, a few from No. 4 in the neighbourhood of Suichang, where they generally occur (though in bad preservation) in the chert nodules ; in the Si Tungting- shan I have likewise met with a few in No. 6. The general complexion of the whole seems to be Devonian or Subcarboniferous ; I have met with specimens of one species, apparently a Rhynchonella, from such distant localities as Kwangsi and the Taihu. Besides these I have met with the following fossils belonging to this formation, those marked with an asterisk, however, having been procured from medicine-shops and stated to be from Yunnan in the extreme S.W. of China.

At least one species of Orthoceratite. I have not been able to procure a specimen of these, as they are much prized by the Chinese under the name of " pagoda stones," and sold at fancy prices.

Euomphalus, a species closely allied to, if not identical with, E. pentangulatus.

Some internal casts, probably Cirrus.

Aviculopecten, probably A. duplicatus (Dana).

Fragments of other shells not recognizable.

Spirifer disjunctus, and four other species of the same genus.

Stringocephalus, three species.

Rhynchonella, as above.

Rhynchonella, two more species.

Rhynchonella (R. pleurodon ?).

Terebratua hastata ?

Athyris? a species.

Orthis, two species.

A Trilobite.

Cyprididoe.

Cyathophyllum ?

Heliolites ?

Remains of Encrinites.

As I have no means of comparison with actual specimens, the above are merely put forward hypothetically; the fossils are few in number (those I have found mostly in bad preservation), but represent the results of a considerable time spent in the search.

Returning, however, to the rocks themselves, I have denominated No. 5 the " Lower Coal and Iron Shales." Containing, as they do in Kiangsu, enormous deposits of the metal, and being favourably situated for working, they bid fair to become of considerable economic importance so soon as the absurd prejudices of the Chinese Government permit of their being worked. I quote the following from a Report on the Nanking district, made by request of Mr. Markham. Her Majesty's Consul at Chinkiang, who has made energetic efforts to induce the provincial authorities to allow the mineral wealth of this district to be opened up.

" At Lungtan-chen, within the district, this series associated with Nos. 3 and 6 occurs ; the dip here is towards the S.E., at an angle