Notices of Memoirs — J. Lomas — SouthpoH Geology. 567 



sand-dunes shows clearly the distinction between the deposition by 

 wind agency and in water. Faults traversing the Triassic rocks 

 conform to the general N. and S. direction so characteristic of 

 Lancashire and Cheshire, and these are joined by E. and W. faults, 

 which, as a rule, have little or no throw. It seems as if the_N. and 

 S. buckling which caused the main faults had cut up the rocks into 

 blocks, and the E. and W. faults mark the units which dropped 

 successively in the individual blocks. 



Further to the east the Bunter rocks give place to Coal-measures, 

 but at one or two places in the area, as at Skillaw Clough and 

 Bentley Brook, thin beds of Permian age intervene. 



Succeeding the Coal-measures, Millstone Grit appears in the next 

 platform, which forms the hills above Chorley and Horwich. An 

 outlier of Millstone Grit also occurs at Parbold, further to the west. 



The disposition of the rocks already given indicate an approach 

 towards the arch of the great Pennine anticline, and on crossing the 

 Pennine chain a similar succession, in the reverse order, is met with 

 in Yorkshire. 



The matter is complicated, however, by the occurrence of another 

 line of folding which shows itself in the Rosendale anticline, running 

 E.N.E. to W.S.W.; and it is owing to this cross folding that the 

 Millstone Grit is brought to the surface on Anglezark Moor and 

 at Parbold. 



As a result of this folding the main faults in the Carboniferous 

 area run parallel with the anticline, and the cross faults at right 

 angles to the faulted blocks are characterised by having only 

 a slight throw. 



Returning now to the first platform, we find the chief interest lies 

 in the glacial and post-glacial deposits which cover the area. The 

 surface of the Boulder-clay is very uneven, and in the hollows meres 

 have been found. Many of these have since been filled with peat, 

 and tree trunks, both prone and erect, are found enclosed in it. A 

 great number of these meres, or mosses, are seen, not only about 

 Southport, but in the Fylde, in South Lancashire, and the northern 

 part of Cheshire. 



In all cases the}"^ either drain eastwards or formerly did so. 

 Borings in the peat show that they often extend below sea-level, 

 and there must have existed barriers which prevented the waters 

 from reaching the Irish Sea. It has been estimated that the coasts 

 in the neighbourhood are being eroded, in some places at the rate of 

 five yards a year ; so that 400 years ago the land would extend 

 more than a mile seawards ; and if the same rate of waste has 

 obtained since the Glacial period there would be a land of meres and 

 mosses extending as far as the Isle of Man. It is possible that the 

 Irish elk found in the Isle of Man crossed by this lost land. 



Along the coast meres can be seen in all stages of decay. Im- 

 mediately to the east of Southport lies Martin Mere, which is only 

 separated from the sea by a narrow bank at Crossens. At the Alt 

 mouth, at Leasowe, in Cheshire, and in other places, the ancient 

 meres have been cut in two by the sea, and we have peat and tree 



