A Geological Description of the Parish of Portishead. 265 



hotel, we shall see a section of dolomitic conglomerate almost immediately 

 on the left. A little further on, the carboniferous limestone is thrust for- 

 wards, but speedily retires, and continues to be covered up by the dolomitic 

 conglomerate all the way to the hotel. The rock is much overgrown, but 

 occasional sections are afforded, at which its horizontal stratification is 

 visible. Near the hotel is a small half-concealed quarry, in which the 

 rock is remarkably well seen, and from whence — a rare occurrence — 

 specimens of cyathocrinites and producti, and chrystals of sulphate of 

 strontian may be procured. All along this road the dolomitic conglomerate 

 is covered up with a mask of carboniferous limestone debris, composed of a 

 number of minute angular fragments, closely packed together with the in- 

 tervention of very little soil, therein forming a strong contrast to the debris 

 of the old red. 



If, leaving the hotel, we turn the ridge, and follow the road that runs 

 along its seaward side, we shall have a section of the carboniferous limestone 

 until nearly opposite the baths ; from thence the dolomite extends to the 

 footpath at which it has been previously mentioned as visible. The bow of 

 road leading down to the bath house, affords a good section of the horizontal 

 rock. 



If, from the hotel, we descend the stairs of the landing place, and take a 

 glance to the right, up the pill, we shall observe the cliff to be formed of 

 dolomite, and the beach of highly-inclined pennant, dipping from 60° to 

 70°, to the S. S. W. ; and, if we traced this pennant up the pill, we should 

 find it to be gradually covered up by dolomite and alluvial mud, although a 

 successful trial for coal a little to the north of the mill demonstrates its 

 continuance. 



Descending the landing place at low water, if we step upon the beach on 

 the left, a very striking series of phaenoniena will present themselves. 



The landing place itself will be seen to be composed of a strip of dolo- 

 mite, or rather of new red sandstone, overlying the pennant, and containing 

 barytes, sporadic lead ore, and a good deal of calcareous spar, but no 

 perceptible fossils. 



The cliff here becomes much more lofty, and with the beach is composed 

 of pennant, dipping and bearing as before. Not many yards north of the land- 

 ing place is a bed of pennant shale, about twenty feet thick, beyond which 

 is an anticlinal line, very well marked, and about which tlie beds are nearly 

 vertical. The beds there begin to dip in an exactly contrary direction. 



The pennant, dipping 03°, and bearing E. N. E. extends beyond the 

 steps leading from the garden nearly to the western cud of the little bay. 

 At the steps are some fine impressions of calamites, and of some plants of 

 the genus sigillaria ; and scattered about arc very large masses of hsematitic 

 iron ore. 



Upon the beach are a few outlying blocks of new red sandstone, evidently 

 in situ, since they fit exactly into the interstices of the pennant j although. 



