For a long time I have been doubtful of the age of a nearly homogeneousgroup of greenish shales which was repeatedly found to lie below the NingkouShale,a graptolite-bearing shale of Arenigian age,so familiar and widely dis-tributed in N.Kiangsi,S.Anhui and S.W.Chekiang.Wherever we metthe Ningkuo Shale in these provinces ,we met the underlying greenish shalestoo.