A PROBLEM FOR CHESHIRE GEOLOGISTS. 49 
In 1863 Mr. Morton read a paper before the Liverpool 
Geological Society, describing the outlier. The paper appears 
to be based on observations made during a short visit to the 
district. 
In 1865 the Rey. P, B. Broprz read a paper before the 
Warwickshire Field Club, and gave a careful summary of all 
the facts bearing on the question which had up to that time 
been ascertained. 
Since that date I am not aware that any fresh observations on 
the subject of this interesting outlier have been published. 
Now the points concerning which our information appears to 
be up to the present time very imperfect are the following :— 
Il.— The exact EXTENT and urmtts of the outlier. Thick masses 
of drift conceal the greater part of its surface, and hence 
a great portion of its boundaries have been indicated by 
dotted lines on the map of the Geological Survey. By 
taking advantage of any wells sunk in the district, and 
by recovering any records or specimens of the old 
sinkings in search of coal, something might no doubt be 
done to remove existing doubts. 
Il.—The rEvations of the Lias to the surrounding strata. That 
the mass has been let down by a fault there cannot be 
, the smallest doubt. This fault has been traced through 
a part of its course by the geological surveyors; but 
further research may be expected to throw light on the 
continuation of this great fault aud on the position of 
parallel and branch faults which are probably connected 
with it. A careful discussion of the thicknesses of all 
the deposits in the district would perhaps permit of an 
estimate being made of the amount or ‘“‘throw”’ of the 
fault. 
III.—The nature, THICKNESS, and FOSSIL CONTENTS of the strata 
which make up the outher. The limits and thicknesses 
of the Upper, Middle, and Lower Lias, the existence 
of Rhaetic strata, and the succession of the several 
fossiliferous zones which make up these formations, 
all require to be determined. Careful workers, like 
Mr. Wricur of Belfast and the late Mr. C. Moore 
of Bath, have shown that a whole museum of organisms 
may be procured from a few lumps of clay; and similar 
methods of research may be expected to yield not less 
interesting results in the case of this outlier. 
In conclusion, it was suggested that a Committee might be 
appointed by the Chester Natural Science Society to investigate 
the whole subject ; and it was pointed out that this course had 
been taken by the Geological Society of Edinburgh, in the case 
of the fossiliferous deposits of Silurian age near that city, with 
the most satisfactory and encouraging results. 
