OF TIIE CAKBONLFEKOUS SEETES. <> ; .i7 de Koninck, of Liege*. We shall take a brief survey of their ob- servations : — (1) Belgium. — The lower marine zone of the Coal-formation has been recognized by Prof, de Koninck t. At Chokier-on-the-Meuse a band of limestone is associated with alum-shales containing small Goniatites. From these beds M. de Koninck enumerates 25 species of marine shells also found in the Carboniferous Limestone of Belgium, including Aviculopecten papyraceus, Chonetes, Lingula, Orthoceras (4 species), Nautilus, Goniatites (including G. Listeri), Productus, and fishes of the genera Pcdceoniscus and Campodus Ten species of Carclinia (Anthracosia) are mentioned from the " systeme houiller" of Liege ; but these are probably from the beds above the marine zone. Of the species several are characteristic of Stage E of the Coal-measures of England ; and both Dr. Bonier and M. C. Barrois agree in referring these beds to this stage +. This marine zone at the base of the pro- ductive Coal-measures of Belgium has been noticed in several places, so as to leave no doubt of its general occurrence. It corresponds to the " second niveau fossilifere " of MM. Cornet and Briart, contain- ing Productus carbonarius, Goniatites, Avicida, Chonetes Laguessiana, &c. The remaining five niveaux fossiliferes are characterized by the presence of Anthracosia {Carclinia) and, rarely, Posiclonomya and Mytilus, showing the occurrence of estuarine conditions amongst a great mass (of about 1500 metres) of freshwater beds §. (2) North of France. — M. Charles Barrois|| has recently published an account of the discovery which he, in company withM. Gosselct, has made of marine shells at the base of the Coal-measures of the north of France, in a position corresponding to that of the Belgian marine band of Chokier. These fossils have been found at Auchy- au-Bois, Lens, and Carvin — those at the last-named locality being, however, on a higher niveau than those of Auchy, and probably representing the stage of the " Chance Pennystone " of England in Stage F. The following have been determined — Cypridina concentrica (De Kon.), Orthoceras Goldfussianum (De Kon.), Nautilus subsulcatus (Phil.), Schizodus sulcatus (Bronn.), Leda attenuata (Elena.), Area Lacordairiana (De Kon.), A. arguta (Phill.), A. elegans (De Kon.), Avicula papyracea (Sow.), Anthracosia (sp.), Spirifer glaber (Mart.), S. mesogonius (M'Coy), S. trigonalis (Mart.), Productus semireticulatus (Mart.), P. carbonarius (De Kon.), P. marginalis (De Kon.), JStrep- torhynchus crenistria (Phil.), Poteriocrinus (sp.). Of these about one half ascend from the Carboniferous Limestone, the remainder being only known in later beds. Another band at Carvin, with
- Description des animaux fossiles qui se trouveut dansle terrain Carbonifere
de Belgique. t Ibid. p. 627 (Tableau Besume). X Bull, de l'Acad. roy. de Eelgique, 2 e ser. torn, xxxiii. (1872). § Bulletin de la Societe Geologique de France, 3 e ser. torn. ii. || That of the " Pennystone " of Coalbrook Dale. These fossils have also been studied by MM. Duniout, Dewalque, Cornet, and Briart.
