Rev. J. Clifton Ward — Geology of the Lake District. 57 



surface I have hinted before ; but we have no evidence that the 

 granitic roots were ever continuous, in this district, with volcanic 

 vents, though, having no deposits of the true Old Red age (Lower 

 Old Eed) in the district, it would be unsafe positively to say that 

 there were not volcanic eruptions within this area in Old Red times, 

 or that the Shap Granite, for example, does not repi'esent the root of 

 such an Old Red volcano. Of the three principal granitic centres 

 (see Sketch-Map, Plate II.) the Skiddaw granite occurs only in con- 

 nexion with the Skiddaw Slate, which is extensively metamorphosed 

 around, but the granite, where we now see it, is undoubtedly intrusive ; 

 the Eskdale Granite ranges for a distance of more than fourteen 

 miles through the Volcanic Series, and is surrounded by an extensive 

 zone of altered volcanic rocks ; while the Shap Granite has altered 

 both volcanic rocks and the Coniston series. We have, in fact, in 

 these three masses, granite consolidated at various depths, or the 

 potential roots of volcanos exposed at different stages. 



We shall return to consider the probable length of time repre- 

 sented by the effects of denudation during this period, when the 

 chronology of the district is discussed. 



D. — Carboniferous Period. 



Under the head of Carboniferous I include the beds in this district 

 formerly classified as Old Red, but which have been shown to be 

 but the Basement Conglomerates of the Carboniferous. These con- 

 glomerates are particularly well developed in Mell Fell (1760 ft. 

 high), and the range of hills extending eastwards from that mountain 

 to the foot of TJllswater (see Sketch-Map) . Their general character 

 is that of a loose sandy matrix containing pebbles of all sizes and 

 occasional large and more angular blocks as much as three feet in 

 length. In parts the larger pebbles are absent, and the beds take 

 on the character of a coarse grit, always much false-bedded. The 

 peculiarity of this conglomerate consists, however, in the composition 

 of its pebbles. In Mell Fell they all seem to belong to sedimentary 

 rocks, and are composed of gritty and micaceous sandstone similar to 

 that so largely occurring in the Upper Silurians (Ludlows) of the 

 Kendal district. Although Mell Fell, rising to a height of 1760 ft., 

 stands partly on Volcanic ground and partly on Skiddaw Slate, and 

 must have once extended much further to the west and even nearer 

 to the mountains formed of volcanic rocks, yet I have failed to detect 

 one undoubted instance in the conglomerate of this hill of a pebble 

 made from these rocks. At Pooley Bridge (foot of Ullswater) a 

 few cases occur of ash and trap pebbles, though those of sandstone 

 and grit largely predominate. At Hutton, however, two miles to the 

 east of Mell Fell, there are many pebbles of ash and trap and of 

 altered Skiddaw Slate, occurring with those of sandstone. It is 

 worthy of remark that the pebbles of trap at Hutton most resemble 

 the lava flows of Eycott Hill two or three miles to the north-west 

 (just N. of the railway line). In most cases the pebbles, and even 

 the large angular blocks, lie with their long axes in the direction of 

 the bedding. The pebbles are frequently rather elongated and often 



