ON THE AGE OF THE CANNINGTON PAEE! LIMESTONE. 385 



Mr. T. H. Payne also places it in the' [Mountain Limestone series 

 (Som. Arch. Soc. Proc. for 1864, p. 105 ;) writing on the " Geology 

 of the Quantocks," he remarks that it is very different to any lime- 

 stone observed in these hills. 



Mr. Etheridge's views are expressed in a contribaticn ''on the 

 physical structure of "West Somerset and E". Devon and on the 

 palseontological value of the Devonian fossils." Q,. J. G. S., 

 (1867,) xxiii., p. 568 — 698. As Palaeontologist to the Geological 

 Survey, he was asked by the Director to undertake a review 

 of the Devonian Eocks, in connection with the claims of 

 some geologists that these should be merged into the Carboniferous 

 system. We may therefore conclude it contains his ultimate opinion 

 and this is that the limestone is a Devonian outlier. 



A section is given which represents the Cannington limestone 

 included in the mass of Devonian rocks of the Quantocks, part of 

 which crop out close by in the village of Cannington. There are 

 no reasons given why the limestone is considered Devonian, and no 

 fossil evidence is adduced. The adjoining limestones of the 

 Quantocks yielded to the survey Palaeontologist characteristic 

 Devonian corals, but their absence here is passed over. 



Sir H. De la Beche had most cautiously remarked of this limestone 

 (Eeport on Devon and Cornwall, p. 55,) '' that the connection with 

 the rocks of the Quantocks cannot be traced satisfactorily. At 

 Cannington itself, on the S. of the limestone, the lamination of 

 the slate has a southern dip, and if this should coincide with that 

 of the true beds, the slate would appear to rest upon the limestone, 

 U7iless some great fault should occur." In the face of considerable 

 difference of (opinion Mr. Etheridge seems to have been rather 

 unfortunate in the way he has touched upon this question. 



The most valuable contribution on the age of the Cannington 

 Park Limestone, is that by Mr. S. G. Perceval, of Henbury, (Geol. 

 Mag. ix., p. 94, 1872.) He has here determined the Corals, which 

 had been presented by Mr. Baker to the Taunton Museum : they 

 are as follows : — Lithostrotion Martini, irregulare, aranea 

 Clisiophjllum turlinatum, Syringopora ramulosa. He adds '' The 



