50 Transactions. 



even at the level of the sea, if in an Arctic climate) .vhich has 

 o-radually assumed the form of ice. Like water, this accumu- 

 kion has a tendency to pass from higher to lower grounds, 

 its natural courses being the valleys which diverge from the 

 mountains. 



(d) Conclusions Drawn. 

 Summarising, then, these various facts which I have 

 brought before you to-night, we find-First, that we have a 

 rock basin which must have been produced about the com- 

 mencement of the Permian Era, the origin of which cannot 

 be satisfactorily explained by reference to either igneous or 

 aqueous agents. Second, that the following evidences point 

 to the probability of a glacial origin :-(l) Ice is the most 

 important lake-producing agent. (2) A very considerable 

 mass of evidence collected by the most eminent geologists of 

 the day supports the belief that there were glacial conditions 

 at the commencement of the Permian Era, some of the evi- 

 dence having been collected in our immediate neighbourhood. 

 (3) Durino- the existence of these glacial conditions the Low- 

 thers formed a very considerable range of ^f J.'^^^^J^^ 

 which minor ranges ran, forming the valley of Middle Niths- 

 dale in which the rock basin was situated, thus presenting, 

 favourable surface outlines for the accumulation and descent 



of a mass of ice. . , 



With these facts before you I leave you to considei 

 whether there is not great probability of a glacier having 

 really been formed on these mountains durmg the tune re- 

 ferred to, and of it. having descended down through the 

 valley, scooping out a rock basin in its passage, which became 

 the lake in which the Permian sandstones ot that district 

 were deposited. 



