584: Correspondence — Mr. F. Rutley. 



In deciding upon the relative merits of the synonyms Limnite and 

 Limonite, I was led to reject the latter, because it was already 

 adopted by some of the foreign geologists to designate one the beds 

 of the Neocomian series ; and, further, that having a due regard for 

 its G-reek origin, the pronunciation of the word Limonite would be 

 very different from that which is usually assigned to it. 



I think it will be some time before mineralogists are able to 

 determine whether this mineral occurs most frequently in a marsh 

 {XifMVT]) or in a meadow (\ee/Mcov) ; but as the two names have 

 always been looked upon as synonymous, I preferred to adopt the 

 one which had the double advantage of being pronounced as it is 

 spelt, and which is hitherto unappropriated as a geological term. 



'oSr^22,''l87o!'^' TOWNSHEND M. HaLL. 



GEOLOGY OF THl LAKE DISTEICT. 



Sir, — I have read Mr. Mackintosh's paper in the October number 

 of the GrEOLOGiCAL MAGAZINE, and having helped to survey several 

 portions of the Lake District mentioned by him in his paper, I feel 

 bound to record my dissent from some of his views, and my dis- 

 belief in the accuracy of some of his observations. 



The valleys of Kentmere, Long Sleddale, and Bannisdale, contain 

 plenty of Moraine stuff with scratched stones j in the last-named 

 there is a fine moraine spanning across the middle of the valley, and 

 I believe that the old lake represented by the alluvium of Kentmere 

 originated partly from damming by a moraine, the remains of which 

 may still be traced. On the high ground between Kentmere and 

 Long Sleddale there is abundance of drift, and moraine stones are 

 very numerous. The basin of the Skeggles water which lies on the 

 high ground between these valleys was probably scooped out by 

 ice. I have met with glacial striations running nearly east and 

 west near this tarn, but have not observed the north and south ones 

 mentioned by Mr. Mackintosh, at least I do not remember having 

 seen them, although, no doubt, they exist ; but not ha^-ing my maps 

 at hand, I cannot speak with certainty upon this point. My own 

 impression, however, was that at a late period of the Glacial epoch, 

 ice had passed across the fell, though no doubt at an earlier period 

 it had moved in the direction of the axes of the valleys. 



I have, as a general rule, observed that glacial striae low down in 

 the valleys run in the direction of the valleys themselves, but that 

 on the sides of the hills they usually take an oblique direction to 

 the valley -axis. I have seen nothing resembling "the old sea-cliff" 

 at Elleray, mentioned by Mr. Mackintosh. 



I do not agree with Mr. Mackintosh in his conclusion that because 

 the ridge of School Knott is striated transversely to its general 

 trend, that the hollows on either side of it have not been formed by 

 land-ice moving in the direction of their length. I think it quite 

 possible that that which Mr. Mackintosh endeavours to disprove 

 may have taken place, and partially helped to form those depressions, 

 although the evidence may not be strong in support of such a view. 



