435 



Old red and the base of the Coal measures. On the other hand Mr. 

 Etheridge, Palaeontologist of H. M. Geological Survey of England, 

 viewing thena purely from an English point of view, and laying 

 more stress upon their Paleeoutological contents, affirms that they 

 are one great and well-defined system called Devonian, divisible 

 into three groups, lower, middle, and upper, each of these divi- 

 sions characterized by a distinct marine fauna, and possibly equal 

 in time and position to the Old red. 



In other words Mr. Jukes would do away with the term Devonian 

 altogether as indicating an independent geological system, whereas 

 Mr. Etheridge would preserve it as a useful nomenclature for a 

 group of rocks especially developed in Devonshire. The general 

 body of Geologists incline, I think, to uphold the latter view. It is 

 then to this group of beds to which the Quantocks belong. Those 

 who support Mr. Etheridge's view would call them Devonian ; those 

 who agree with Professor Jukes would consider them Old red sand- 

 stone. If fossil evidence is to have any weight in deciding the 

 question, and I know not what else in the absence of direct super- 

 position can supply its place, then certainly this evidence cleai-ly 

 tends to corroborate the view that the Quantocks are an Easterly 

 continuation of the Devonian beds. All will, however, agree that 

 they come in the order of stratification between the Silurian on 

 the one hand and the Carboniferous formations on the other. 

 There is much yet to be learnt of the geology of these hills. Let 

 aU those who are interested in the subject narrowly watch every 

 section likely to throw any light upon the beds which constitute 

 the base or nucleus of the range. 



In conclusion, then, I would ask whether a study which leads 



you 



Through weeds, and thorns, and matted underwood, 

 To force your way : now climb and now descend 

 O'er rocks, or bare or mossy, with wild foot 

 Crushing the purple whorts, 



which brings the glow of health to the cheek and adds new vigour 

 to the limbs, and not merely this, but supplies new thoughts to the 

 mind, leading you onwards from Nature's works to Nature's God : 

 whether such a study as this can be dry and profitless 1 



