69 



who died a year ago, viz., that after passing through the 

 conglomerate, and before getting to the hard stone already 

 referred to, there were traces of true coal measure shale. So 

 much with reference to the western end, about which there is 

 a degree of uncertainty, but in the general features of which 

 there is little room for error. 



The eastern end is more problematical ; but even here 

 there are data from which fair inferences may be deduced. 

 The points which have enabled me to fix the outcrop in the 

 position shown on the section are the position of the Ume- 

 stone at Wick, the outcrop of the pennant at Newton St. Loe, 

 the position of the veins of the lower division at Twerton 

 Colliery, and, finally, the position of the mountain limestone 

 between Buckland and Frome. Taking the line of strike at 

 each of the points indicated, in connection with the outcrop 

 line of the upper division, I have been enabled to determine 

 the eastern part of the section with a fair amount of proba- 

 bility, if not of certainty. 



Only one exploration has been made on the Hne of section 

 to the eastward of the Dunkerton CoUieries, viz., the boring 

 on the Combehay estate, to which I have already referred ; and 

 this evidence, so far as it goes, tends to confii-m the view I 

 had arrived at fi-om other data. The boring, after passing 

 through the overlying strata, entered a hard coal measure 

 sandstone, in which it was continued for 260 feet, proving 

 nothing except the sandstone and two thin imperfect seams 

 of coal. As the second series, at the nearest point at which 

 it has been proved, contains no such body of sandstone, the 

 natural inference is that the boring went down on the pennant 

 rock, as represented in the section. 



Although the coal measures here take the form of a basin, 

 their present shape must not be mistaken for that of the 

 basin in which they were originally deposited. The central 

 part may possibly represent the original shape of the strata. 



