Geological Notes on the Middleton-in-Teesdale District. 271 



and crystalline in structure, in most respects identical with that 

 seen below the Whin at White Force. These two important 

 facts seem inconsistent with any theor}^ of a submarine over- 

 flow of the Basalt which is still advocated by some people and on 

 which there has been much dispute ever since Sedgwick's time. 



On the occasion of the Lunedale excursion, the members 

 had the privilege of examining the model of the contours of the 

 valley, and the sections cut through by the Tees Valley Water 

 Board in forming the dam for the Grassholm reservoir, and 

 also the admirable records which the engineering staff have 

 preserved, which in future will be of much value to geologists. 



The Lunedale quarries owned by Mr. Hodsman, gave fine 

 and interesting sections of the Basalt, which seems to be a 

 dyke, of what age compared with the Whin Sill there was no 

 opportunity of investigating, but it is fairly certain thev are 

 both of Tertiary age. 



It was surprising that during the three days' excursions 

 very few far-travelled erratics were seen. Between the mouth 

 of the Lune and Cauldron Snout the boulders were of local 

 origin, which is what might be expected as there is no reason for 

 supposing that the great glacier from the west ever overtopped 

 the very elevated region at the head of Teesdale. The valley 

 of the Lune however, is considered to be one of the main routes 

 which the glacier coming over Stainmoor took in its course 

 down to Cleveland, and it was expected that many evidences 

 of this would have been found. On the contrary, although 

 much time was spent amongst the drift which has been cut 

 into or used for forming the Grassholm trench, the great mass 

 of boulders were from local rocks. The explanation probably 

 is that as the size of the ice sheet diminished, the high ground of 

 Stainmoor cut off the supply to Teesdale, and that such erratics 

 of western origin as had already commenced their journey were 

 carried forward on or in the ice towards the North Sea, and that 

 the further supply of ice being entirely of local origin, so the 

 boulders left on the final disappearance of the ice were chiefly 

 local. A few large blocks of Shap Fell granite have in the past 

 been removed from the banks of the Lune. 



Messrs. A. Brown & Sons, Hull, ha\-e just published the First 

 Annual Report of the Yorkshire Numismatic Fellowship. It is edited by 

 Mr. T. Sheppard, and naturally, has a strong ' Hull ' flavour about it. 

 It contains several illustrated papers on Yorkshire coins and medals, and 

 is a record of a good year's work having regard to the small membership of 

 the Society. The price is one shilling. 



1910 June I. 



