142 



alluded to they are so nearly upright that the northern dip 

 is hardly appreciable. 



Proceeding stiU farther eastward we find this abnormal 

 state of things becomes more and more decided, until the 

 strata, having been folded back upon themselves, dip towards 

 the Mendips instead of from them. 



At Barlake the southern inclination is 72 degrees, at 

 Holcombe 50 degrees, and when we reach the neighbourhood 

 of Newbury and Mells the distortion attains its maximum, 

 the southern dip being only 20 degrees. From this point 

 eastward there is a gradual increase of inclination, and at 700 

 yards east of the road leading from Kilmersdon to Vobster, 

 the strata, as proved at Mells New CoUiery, show an angle of 

 45 degrees — indicating, as it appears to me, an approach to 

 that point at which they wiU again become upright before 

 resuming their legitimate northern dip. 



So long a continuation of this southern incHnation would, 

 were the facts not well established, be apt to mislead us, and 

 to induce the belief that some enormous fault had thrown the 

 coal measures down near the Mendips, making them appear 

 to dip beneath the limestone. But the fact that at Nettle- 

 bridge every yard of the ground has been proved, and the 

 gradation traced from the point at which the true northern 

 inclination exists to where the abnormal southern inclination 

 shows itself, precludes the possibility of mistake ; and did we 

 require additional proof, it is to be found in the order of 

 succession of the veins, which, at the point where the wrong 

 dip exists, has been completely reversed — those veins which 

 elsewhere lie deepest being found uppermost, and each indi- 

 vidual vein, judging from internal evidence, being undoubtedly 

 upside down. 



That the strata must, as they are followed downwards, 

 resume their proper dip there can be no doubt, but to what 

 depth the abnormal inclination may hold good it is at present 



