276 Yorkshire Naturalists at Tebay. 



absent ; in Flakebridge and at Scar Sikes, the Lower Lime- 

 stone Shales series, consisting of shales, calcareous sandstones 

 and impure limestones, were seen laid upon the Silurian slates. 

 Pinsky Gill, near Newbiggin, was the main objective of the 

 day's excursion. The Lower Carboniferous rocks exposed here 

 have yielded a somewhat remarkable suite of fossils, but, owing 

 to rain coming on, and to the swollen state of the beck, it 

 was impossible to trace out the beds. 



It had been hoped that during the excursion, evidence might 

 be obtained as to the relationship between the Red Conglomer- 

 ates, containing pebbles of very many kinds of rocks, resting 

 upon the Silurian, and the overlying Green Conglomerates, 

 whose contents are mostly quartz pebbles. In Penny Farm 

 Gill, near Sedbergh, there is an unconformity between these, 

 and if such can be found in other areas, it will go a long way 

 towards proving that these red rocks are of Old Red Sandstone 

 age, an opinion which is now held by some eminent geologists. 

 Unfortunately, bad weather prevented an examination of the 

 one or two localities where both the conglomerates are exposed 

 in super-position. 



Monday was devoted to a visit to the parent mass of the 

 Shap Granite. All Yorkshire naturalists are familiar with the 

 ice-carried boulders of this remarkable rock, scattered over the 

 county, so it was not to be wondered at that almost all present 

 at the meeting started out betimes to see its source of origin. 

 But, alas! only a minority arrived at the granite quarry. The 

 morning was exceedingly wet, and, by the time the lower quarry 

 was reached, many of the members were ready to turn back. 

 This quarry is in the Coniston Limestone (Bala Beds), which 

 is very much altered by its proximity to the granite. In one 

 or two parts of the section interesting minerals, such as garnets, 

 idocrase, and pyrites, were found. Those of the party who went 

 ahead to the granite quarry, up Wastdale Crag, by way of the 

 railway track, will not readily forget the experience — the 

 rain coming down in torrents, and the wind blowing with 

 hurricane force. There was a gradual reduction of numbers, 

 and when the survivors reached the quarry, there did not seem 

 any well-marked disposition to examine the sections at close 

 quarters. Some time was spent in a shed, draining the water 

 off coats, emptying it out of boots, wringing it out of stockings, 

 and waiting for the storm to abate. One prominent member 

 of the Union expressed the opinion that he had always looked 

 upon the geologists' ' job ' as a gentleman's one, what has to be 

 seen always being there, only needing the selection of a fine 

 day and a comfortable journey ; but this walk had completely 

 altered his views. The weather not improving, a hurried 

 glance was made at the section, a few specimens obtained, and 

 the hill was descended to Shap. Later in the day, a brief 



Naturalist, 



