Geological Society. 569 



Another system of disturbances, the author assigns to the tertiary 

 era, because it appears to have been in operation, during the time, 

 when the Haldon and Blackdown tertiary beds were formed. The 

 Haldon strata exhibit the following proofs of disturbance : — 



1 . A partial destruction of the chalk, followed by the formation of 

 a breccia of angular flints and sand. 



2. The breaking up of this breccia and the production of a stratum, 

 consisting of chalk flints, the breccia, quartz, granite and other rocks, 

 all rounded. 



Mr. Austen then oiFers some observations on the probable changes 

 in the extent of dry land during the deposition of the secondary sy- 

 stems, indications of which, he conceives, are traceable in the charac- 

 ters, and the thinning out of the formations between the chalk and 

 the new red series. In alluding to the faults which aiFect the new 

 red sandstone, he says, that the greater part of them may belong to 

 the tertiary epoch. 



In the older formations, the evidences of disturbance during 

 periods anterior to the new red sandstone, are referred chiefly to the 

 unconformable position of the culmiferous strata with relation to 

 the transition ; and consequently the disturbances, which gave the 

 slates their present position, must have taken place anterior to the 

 deposition of the culmiferous strata. 



With respect to the connexion between the age and the direction 

 of the faults, the author says the district is too limited for any ob- 

 servations to be of much value. The older disturbances, however, 

 appear to have a north and south direction. The most remarkable 

 cast and west fault is that of the valley of theTeign; and if the Wey- 

 mouth Fault be prolonged westward, it would strike the coast of De- 

 vonshire at the mouth of that river. 



Examples of depression as well as of elevation are mentioned in 

 the paper, and it is said that the former are parallel to the latter, 

 ranging S.S.W. and N.N.E. 



Jan. 3, 1838. — A paper was read on the " Geological Relations of 

 North Devon," by Thomas Weaver, Esq., F.G.S., F.R.S., &c. 



ITie observations, which gave rise to this paper, were made during 

 the autumn of 1837, in consequence of the discussions which had 

 taken place relative to the position of the coal strata of the North 

 of Devonshire*. The author states that he derived great assistance, 

 during his investigations, from the Rev. David Williams, who kindly 

 oflfered to be his guide. The survey, however, convinced Mr. 

 Weaver, that Prof. Sedgwick and Mr. Murchison were perfectly cor- 

 rect in placing the coal with the associated strata at the top of the 

 series, and in removing it from the transition systems to which other 

 observers had assigned it. 



The district, more particularly examined by the author, lies between 

 the parallel of Bideford and Chilhampton on the south, and that of 

 the Foreland (E. of Linton) on the north, and is bounded on the 

 east by the meridian of High Down (four miles west of South Mol- 

 tgn), and on the west by the Bristol Channel. 

 * [Sec p. 566, note *.] 



