LOW FURNESS, LANCASHIRE. 425 



thick covering of drift, which hides the under- 

 lying strata from view. 



Generally speaking, the strata occupy three 

 zones of elevation, the new red sandstone being 

 the lowest, the mountain limestone the middle, 

 and the silurian the highest. 



It is proposed to consider the subject under 

 the following heads, namely, the Drift, New Red 

 Sandstone, Coal Measures ? Carboniferous Lime- 

 stone, and Silurian. 



First, as to the Drift. — This deposit, which 

 more or less covers the country from Morecambe 

 bay to Lindal Moor, consists of two kinds, namely, 

 Till, composed of a reddish or brownish yellow 

 coloured clay, mingled with angular and rounded 

 pebbles, and coarse sand and gravel. The former 

 occupies the tops of the more elevated portions 

 of land, and the low land on the south and east 

 skirting Morecambe bay, whilst the latter skirts 

 the sides of the valleys, and is found to compose 

 the rounded knolls which bound the valleys. 

 These knolls are well seen in the valley of Fur- 

 ness, between Barrow Head and the old abbey, and 

 there reach from thirty to forty feet in thickness. 

 3 I 



