384 ON THE AGE OF THE CANNINGTON PAEK LIMESTONE. 



is exposed in the counties of Somerset, Devon & Cornwall, (Proc. 

 Geol, Soc, III., p. 115 & 158 ;) again similar views are expressed. 

 Subsequently this author seems to have considered it of the same 

 age as the limestones of the Quantocks, i.e., M. Devonian, — see his 

 manuscript observations quoted by Mr. Baker, (Som. Arch. N. H. 

 Soc. Proc. for 1852, p. 129.) 



The late Professor Phillips discussing the palseontological 

 relations of the Devon & Somersetshire rocks, in the work 

 published by the Geological Survey in 1841, (Paloeozoic Fossils p. 

 142-3,) places this limestone in the Ilfracombe group; the fossils 

 determined by him were Cyathophyllum Damnoniense and Ceriopora 

 swiilis, the former a Devonian coral, the latter both Devonian and 

 Carboniferous. I am not aware that this Devonian coral has been 

 found subsequently, and it would be desirable to have some 

 confirmation of its occurrence. Sir H. De la Beche considered the 

 limestone to belong to the Devonian system of the Quantocks and in 

 the older editions of the Geological Survey map, it was accordingly 

 coloured as Devonian and taken as of the same age as the adjacent 

 Limestones of the Quantocks. 



In 1851 the late Mr. Baker, of Bridgwater, writing on the 

 Geology of Somerset, (Som. Arch. Soc. I, p. 129,) notices the 

 occurrence of encrinites and corals in it, while in a second article in 

 1853,"'" he boldly abandons views taken by the Geological Survey 

 and previous authorities, and advocates its Carboniferous age. He 

 here announces the discoveiy fossils which would point to this 

 conclusion : these were Conocardium, Produdus, Orthis, Terelratula 

 and Corals ; he considers these to agree with fossils in the Mountain 

 Limestone of the Mendips. It is a pity however that their specific 

 names are not given. He notices the '' Oolitic structure and 

 general resemblance of the stones," {I. c, p. 129,) to the Mendip 

 Limestone. The fragments of Encrinites are so abundant that they 

 have been noticed byiall observers. 



The Canmngton Park Limestone," Som. Arch. N. H. Soc. 

 Proc. III., p. 125-131, for 1852. 



