244 GOODCHILD : GLACIAL PHENOMENA OF UPPER RIBBLESDALE, 
To the south of the ice-shed, the ice, almost from first to last, flowed 
away in a southerly direction, conforming, in the direction taken by 
its lower strata, to all the ins and outs of the surface ; but, in the 
movements of the mass as a whole, it followed the direction of 
easiest gradient from the ice-shed. ‘Thus, all over the western part 
of the Yorkshire uplands the predominant direction of flow was 
towards the S.S.W., as seen in the cutting at Ribblehead Station. 
Any deviation from that course can easily be shown to be due to 
purely local causes. But in the mountain areas still further west, 
that is to say, in the southern parts of the Lake District, the normal 
direction was southward in the areas around Oxenholme, etc., and 
S.S.E. in th i i 
bourhood of Sca Fell. But a study of the broader features enables 
us to go farther than this; for it is certain that, at the climax of the 
Glacial Period, the ice flowing southward from the Yorkshire uplands 
was heavily pressed in an easterly direction by ice from the congested 
area of the Irish Sed. These details have to be taken into account 
if we are to get even a general idea of the glacial geology of Upper 
Ribblesdale, as a glance at Mr. Tiddeman’s map will show that over 
parts of Craven the glacial markings show a decided south-easterly 
set, which is quite in accordance with what is known in other parts, 
and which can be readily understood on the above explanation. 
The ice at the climax of the Glacial Period could not have been 
much less than 2,000 feet in thickness in the lower part of the Eden 
valley, and it may have been more than that.* Now, if we accept 
the views held by many geologists that the earth’s crust is every- 
where in a state of unstable equilibrium, ready to rise over any area 
where the superincumbent pressure is lightened by denudation or 
other causes, or to sink where deposition is going on, or where a 
load of any kind is being put upon it, we cannot escape the conclu~ 
sion that there must have resulted at least some depression of the 
earth’s crust, commensurate with the weight of the load accumulated 
upon it. Thus, I conclude that the whole of Britain was gradually 
weighted to a level perhaps as much as one hundred feet lower than 
it had before the glacial burden attained its maximum dimensions. 
It is just possible that the depression referred to may have given 
rise to some alteration in the direction of flow of one of the larger 
ocean currents ; but whether this was the case or not, it is, I think, 
quite certain that the growth of the ice-sheet suddenly stopped 
upon this subject ‘The Glacial Phenomena of the Eden Valley and 
the Weieen Part of the Yorkshire Dale- District,” by J. G. Goodchild. Q.J.G.S. 
xxxi, pp. 55—99, read June 24th, 1874. 
Naturalist, 
