TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION C. 645 



tion of its subject-matter is required. In Morphological Geolog}--, Geography, 

 Petrology, Litbolog}', Mineralogy, correspond to Anatomy and Ilistology in 

 Biology, minerals, rocks, and rock masses constituting the earth's crust as cells, 

 tissues, organs constitute living organisms ; while Palffiogeography is a study of 

 successive morphological states corresponding to Embryology or Development. 



Physiological Geology considers the movements of the earth as a whole, and of 

 all activities produced upon it by extrinsic and intrinsic force-;, acting singly or 

 in combination ; it rightly includes Meteorology and Ilydrologj^, as well as the 

 piivsiology of the earth's crust. Distributional Geology seeks to determine the 

 distribution of the earth in time and space, and ^Etiological Geology includes the 

 study of what is known as Cosmogony. 



IG. On the Exploration of a Fissure in the Mountain Limestone at H.aygill. 

 Bij James W. Davis, F.G.S., F.L.S. 



About eight years ago attention was called, by R. H. Tiddeman, M.A., of 

 II.M. Geol. Survey, to a iissure in the limestone quarry at Raygill, in Lothers- 

 dale, about live miles from Skipton. It originally opened to the surface, and 

 during repeated operations in quarrying was found to extend almost vertically into 

 the rock, trending slightly in a southerly direction. The mouth of the fissure was 

 closed up by a thiclaiess of blue clay with limestone boulders several yards in 

 depth, which appears to have been similar to other masses of blue clay in the 

 immediate neighbourhood — the result of glacial action. Underlying this there 

 were successive deposits of jellow clay; a considerable thickness of finely laminated 

 clay, of a bluish colour, tine and unctuous to the touch ; and alternating layers of 

 sand and sandy clay, with numerous angular and subangular masses of limestone 

 and grit-rock. 



Neither of the beds enumerated contained fossils, but still lower a brown s.indy 

 clay was found, witli numerous well-rounded, water-worn pebbles of limestone 

 and sandstone, apparently all derived from the rocks in the neighbourhood. Inter- 

 mixed with the clays and stones of this bed were numerous bones and teeth. The 

 f^And. and clays surrounding the bones were cemented Hrnily together, fcirming a 

 hard enveloping matrix, and as the bones when found are soft and friable, it is 

 with difficulty that they can be extracted except in fragments. In 1879, the 

 quarrying operations had exposed the latter stratum, and the presence of numerous 

 hones' led the Council of the Yorkshire Geological Society to decide that a scientific 

 investigation of the fissure should be attempted, with the result that a special 

 fund was obtained, and with the ready permission and co-operation of Mr. Spencer, 

 the proprietor of the quarrj', operations were carried on during the summer of 

 1880. The course of the fissure was exposed to a further depth of nearly 50 feet, 

 in that distance extending 19 feet into the rock from the face of the quarry. 

 It was then found that the fissure extends nearly horizontally, in an easterly 

 direction, which can be followed for about 40 feet, whilst a second branch 

 extends in a southerly direction and appears to fall rapidly. The whole surface 

 of the fissure is abraded and smoothened as by running water, and the limestone 

 in its vicinity is extensively honeycombed. The excavation has resulted in the 

 discovery of numerous bones of Elephas, including fragments of a tusk 7 inches in 

 diameter, and many molar teeth. Teeth and tusks of Hippopotamus ; teeth of 

 lihinoceros leptorhimis, and two imperfect examples of the horn of a roebuck, 

 C. Capreuhis. The teeth of hyena are numerous, and one or two examples of those 

 of the Lion have been found. A single molar tooth of the bear has also been 

 found, and tliere are some smaller bones which have not been identified. 



The mouth of the fissure is near the summit of an anticlinal which brings the 

 limestone to the surface at Raygill. On either side are hills, composed principally 

 of shale, surmounted by gritstone, dipping north and south ; towards the west also 

 the ground rises, and a iault brings down the gritstone into juxtaposition with the 

 limestone, so that on three sides the mouth of the fissure is surrounded by moor- 

 lands of gritstone. It appears probable that a stream ran from this surface of 



