80 C. Edmonds — 



with ostracods, small gastropods, and S]>irorhis-VikQ annelids, 

 occur at two or three horizons. Purely crinoid limestone, suggestive 

 of " petit-granite ", occurs rarely (one or two bands), but crinoid- 

 ossicles are abundant in most of the limestones. Foraminiferal 

 limestones are almost universal, but foraminifera are specially 

 abundant and attain considerable dimensions in the " Spotted 

 Beds " near the middle of the Fourth Limestone. Saccammina 

 characterizes a particular horizon of this limestone throughout 

 the are^ . Limestones that are more or less definitely algal ^ occur 

 at three or four separate levels. Girvaneila sp. is abundant in a 

 particular band of the Fourth Limestone throughout the district, 

 and the white limestones immediately l;)elow are particularly rich 

 in what appear to be algal remains. 



Iron pyrites occurs in the Second Limestone at Overend, and is 

 often abundant in the shales, being remarkably ubiquitous in the 

 shaly Basement Conglomerate. Small veins of barytes occur in the 

 First Limestone at Langhom, and in many of the beds at Kelton 

 Head ; it is often associated with haematite. Haematite is found 

 in variously formed masses and irrespective of any particular 

 horizon, but whilst it has been found in all the limestones an analysis 

 of the occurrences proves that there are three horizons where 

 haematite deposits are more general than at other levels. The first 

 is at the base of the First Limestone, the second rests on what is 

 known locally as the Fourth Shale (the shale at the base of the 

 Fourth Limestone), and the third lies on the Basement Shale. 

 Crystals of calcite are abundant throughout. West Cumberland 

 having supplied many specimens to museums all over Europe. 

 Fluorspar is found more sparingly. " Pseudobreccias," similar to 

 those described by Dixon and Garwood from the D Zone of the 

 South- West and North- West Provinces, are present at many levels, 

 and are Avell developed in the Fourth Limestone ; " spotted beds " 

 are confined to that level. Chert occurs in nodules near the base 

 and towards the top of the Seventh Limestone, and sparingly along 

 the bedding at the top of the Fourth Limestone. Some of the 

 nodules show concentric zoning. Beekite and other forms of 

 silica, replace corals and brachiopods in some beds. 



Diagonally Bedded Sands. — A feature to be noticed occurs in the 

 Seventh Limestone at two distinct horizons, one about 20 feet above 

 the Basement Conglomerate and the other at the top of the lime- 

 stone. Grains of red and brown quartz enter the limestone in 

 " diagonal " (cross) bedding, forming diamond-shaped " frames " 

 that enclose masses of almost purely crinoidal limestone. Spirifer, 

 Dielasma, Seminida of. ambigua, and other brachiopods persist 

 upwards through the sands, and are preserved as casts in the sand- 

 stone itself. The lower of the sandy episodes consists of bauds 

 of a few inches thickness, whilst the one at the top of the Seventh 



^ Attention has been drawn by Garwood and RejTiolds to the importance 

 of alaise as rock builders of Carboniferous and other limestones. 



