errors, and which, in a case within my own experience, was the origin of a dispute between two gentlemen in South Staffordshire, involving considerable legal expenses.[1]
13. (I.4.) Pouncill batt, Blacktry and Whitery, containing the "Grains" ironstone, and sometimes the "Whitery" ironstone.—Immediately under the Thick coal is almost invariably a bed I or 2 feet thick of "black batt," dark bituminous shale, which, in the districts immediately east and west of Dudley is called the "Pouncill batt." Under that is from 1 to 3 or 4 feet of dark "ground" or clunch, called "Blacktry." This in the central and southern parts of the fields often contains small nodules of ironstone, called the "Grains ironstone." Under that is 1 or 2 or 3 feet of a light coloured ground or clunch, containing also in some cases ironstone called the "Whitery ironstone." The three beds together never exceed 8 feet in thickness; they are rarely all present at once, the batt seeming the most constant, but they are sometimes altogether wanting, and the Thick coal rests on the measures containing the Gubbin ironstone. In one instance, namely, at Tipton Green, their place is taken by 6 feet of grey rock.
In the Bentley district there is a little coal and ironstone, which, from its position above the top Gubbin, seems to belong to these beds. The following is a section supplied by Mr. James George:—
| FT. | IN. | |
| Ironstone | 0 | 2 |
| Clunch | 0 | 10 |
| Batt | 0 | 5 |
| Ironstone | 0 | 2 |
| Coal | 1 | 2 |
| Clunch | 3 | 0 |
| Clunch and ironstone | 4 | 0 |
| 9 | 9 |
These measures are there known by the name of the "Bind coal and ironstone."
14. (I.5.) The Gubbin or Little Gubbin ironstone.—This seems to be one of the most constant beds in the whole district. It generally contains ironstone of good quality, and has been greatly worked. The measures usually consist of dark clunch, containing isolated ironstone nodules in one, two, or three bands. Between Bilston and Wolverhampton the measures are from 2 to 4 feet thick, but around Dudley they are generally 6 feet, and sometimes 7, 8, or 9. The following detailed section occurs at Upper Gornal clay-works,[2] and will give a good idea of the structure of these measures:-—
| FT. | IN. | FT. | IN. | |
| Ironstone | 0 | 6 | ||
| Dark clunch | 2 | 0 | ||
| Ironstone (cannock) | 0 | 6 | ||
| Dark clunch | 2 | 0 | ||
| Ironstone (rubble) | 0 | 3 | ||
| Black batt | 0 | 6 | ||
| 4 | 6 | 1 | 3 | |
| Total, with partings | 5 | 9 | ||
