1862.] HARKNESS SKIDDAW SLATE SERIES. 117 



strata having an opposite direction from those on the south side, 

 viz. N.N.W. 



This valley seems to indicate the position of a well-marked anti- 

 clinal extending, in a W.S.W. direction, through the Skiddaw slates 

 which lie to the westward. At Barff, which is situated near the head 

 of Bassenthwaite, on the west side of the lake, these N.N.W. dips are 

 very apparent. The south side of this hill, from the base for a con- 

 siderable extent upwards, is covered with " Screes" composed of 

 fragments of slaty rocks mixed with fragments of coarser flags, and 

 with the outcrops of the Skiddaw slates well seen above them. 

 These outcrops consist of slaty rocks interstratified with flaggy beds ; 

 and while the faces of the former are perpendicular, from the rocks 

 exfoliating along the cleavage-planes, the latter have a regular 

 N.jN'.W. dip at an angle of about 30°. 



The "Screes" of the hill of Barff, like those of Outerside, afford 

 abundance of fossils of a nature similar to those of the latter locality. 

 Some of the fossils which occur at Barff were obtained by Professor 

 Sedgwick at Scawgill, in Whinlatter-fells, which is immediately on 

 the strike of the Barff strata. 



These Scawgill fossils consist of Graptolites Sagittarius and G. lotus ; 

 and at Kirkfall, near Scawgill, Palceochorda major is found*. 



The position and mode of occurrence of the fossiliferous strata of 

 Outerside and Barff show that they are the representatives of the 

 same zone on opposite sides of the anticlinal already alluded to, 

 and their proximity to this axis leads to the conclusion that their 

 horizon is low down in the Skiddaw slate series. 



Northwards from Barff slaty rocks without very definite bidding- 

 occur . On approaching Wythop-fell from the south, the flaggy 

 beds, having S.S.E. dips, again begin to make their appearance 

 among the more slaty rocks. On the west side of Bassenthwaite 

 Lake, a short distance south of the landing-place, near the Pheasant 

 Inn, the flaggy beds with S.S.E. inclinations are seen intercalated 

 among the slaty rocks ; and immediately contiguous to the landing- 

 place a thick mass of slate makes its appearance, underlying the 

 flaggy rocks. On the northern escarpment of Wythop-fell, a short 

 distance west of the Pheasant Inn, the slaty rocks with the inter- 

 calated flags are well seen, dipping S.S.E. 30°. There is every 

 reason for inferring that the flaggy rocks seen here are the repre- 

 sentatives of the fossiliferous strata of Barff and Outerside, and 

 their opposite inclination to those of Barff shows the occurrence 

 of a synclinal axis between the latter locality and Wythop-fell. 

 North of Wythop-fell is the Embleton valley, which is about a 

 mile wide, extending westward from Bassenthwaite Lake to the 

 valley of Lorton, and is occupied by till and soil, exhibiting no rock 

 in situ, 



* Barff, being only five miles from Keswick, and close to the high road leading 

 from thence to Cockermouth, is by far the most accessible locality in the Lake- 

 district for obtaining Skiddaw slate fossils. In such profusion do they occur 

 here, that in the course of an hour I obtained a bagful. There is also a comfort- 

 able small inn, called " The Swan," at the base of Barff. 



