312 A. G. Cameron — On the Caverns at Stainton. 



plains, which I believe to be equivalent to the foxy-coloured loam of 

 the mountains, was deposited (in many places on the extensively 

 denuded surface of the middle drift) during a succeeding sub- 

 mergence, the vertical extent of which was at the very least 1300 

 feet ; that after the land again rose, glaciers lingered in the inner 

 and upper valleys and cwms of the Lake-district, but that they did 

 not reach a great length, or leave many extensive moraines ; that 

 during a great part (though not the whole) of the Glacial period in 

 the Lake-district and W. Yorkshire, the conditions were similar to 

 those now prevailing in nearly the same latitude, in the Baltic Sea, 

 and in the Atlantic off the coast of Labrador. 



Map of the Three Great Granitic Dispersions in South Britain.— C, E, S, the sources 

 of the Criffell, Eskdale, and Shapfell (Wasdale Orag) Dispersions. The left hand 

 finely dotted line represents the possible western boundary of the CriiFell and Eskdale 

 drift. According to Curry, the Crifi"ell drift extends further eastwards than I have 

 mapped it. According to Buckland, the Shapfell drift ramifies (as represented) to 

 the neighbourhood of Durham, Green is my authority for the Shap boulder at 

 Eoyston. I found granite near Longridge (a few miles N.E. of Preston), at Roch- 

 dale,_ the upper reservoir, Swineshaw valley, and at Stockport. Many boulders of 

 granite have been found by Mr. Sainter at Macclesfield. Granite has found its way to 

 an altitude of more than 1100 feet on Holcombe Hill, north of Manchester (Mr. Eccles). 

 It has been discovered by Dr. Alexander at Mitholmroyd, east of Todmorden, and by 

 IVlr. Green in the Wye Valley, Derbyshire. These straggling dispersions are not 

 included in the map. Trimmer has found stones of granite decreasing in size and 

 numbers from Chester to Conway. Eamsay thinks that the foreign drift of Anglesey 

 came from the N.N.E., so that the western boundary of the granitic drift in the map 

 may not represent the extreme limit of the dispersion. I have traced the western 

 boundary from near Pentre Halkin, Flintshire, to Padeswood Station, near Mold, 

 and a short distance to the west of Wrexham. There are many large boulders of 

 granite at Farndon, eight miles south of Chester. They are chiefly Eskdale granite, 

 though Criff'ell is not altogether absent. Five out of six of them are intensely 

 glaciated, whereas in Eskdale not one out of six can be said to be well glaciated. 

 Between Wolverhampton and Bridgenorth there are numerous boulders and angular 

 blocks of granite, some of which are four feet in average diameter. 



V. — Descbiption of the Eecentlt Discovered Caverns at 



Stainton. 



By Alan Grant Cameron, Esq., 

 of H. M. Geological Sxirvey of England and Wales. 



HAVING- formed one of a party of sixteen, who have lately 

 further explored the recently discovered caverns at Stainton, 

 notices of which have appeared in the Times and other journals, I 

 wish to furnish a few details of the exploration, which may 

 possibly prove interesting. The caverns are in the Carboniferous 

 Limestone formation, and situated at a point one mile and a quarter 

 south-east of the Dalton station of the Furness Eailway, Lancashire. 

 The rock is being very extensively quarried there, and the entrance 

 to the caverns is in the east side of the quarry, about the 250 contour 

 line, and some 50feet from the bottom of the quarry. It is said to 

 have been long known as a " fox-hole." This aperture leads into 

 a gallery 235 yards in length, running a little north of east, and at 

 an easy slope. Several short, blind galleries branch off from either 

 side ; one rather longer gallery, however, re-opening into the main 



