Yol. 55.] , CONGLOMEEA.TE NEAE MELMERBY. 11 



2. Note on a Coi^aLOMEEATE near Melmeebt (Cfmbeelan-d). By 

 J. E. Maee, Esq., M.A., E.E.S., F.G.S. (Eead November 23rd, 

 1898.) 



As the task of distinguisliing ancient glacial deposits from those 

 which have received structures resulting from earth-movements is 

 one of considerable interest to the geologist at the present time, it 

 may be worth while to record the occurrence of conglomeratic 

 deposits in England which show indubitable effects of the action of 

 earth-movement, not only on the included pebbles, but also on the 

 upper surface of one of the deposits. 



The section to be described is seen in a fell-lane west of Ramps- 

 mire Sike, about a mile east-south-east of the village of Melmerby, 

 which is itself about 5| miles north-east of Penrith. The deposits 

 occur between the Carboniferous rocks and the Lower Palaeozoic 

 slates ; they are spoken of as ' Basement-beds ' and referred to 

 the Carboniferous system on the Geological Survey map (New 

 Series, Sheet 24), though represented with the chocolate colour 

 used for Devonian rocks. There is little doubt that these deposits 

 are homotaxial with those of the neighbourhood of Sedbergh, of the 

 foot of U lis water, and elsewhere in and around the Lake District, 

 which have been described in the Geological Survey memoirs. As 

 the conglomerates of the Carboniferous system containing small 

 quartz-pebbles, which are low down in that system, appear to rest 

 upon them unconformably, I see no reason why the underljdng 

 conglomerates should not be representatives of the Old Red Sand- 

 stone, with which they were originally compared. 



In ascending the fell-lane from a ford at the bottom of the open fell, 

 the ' Skiddaw Slates ' are seen in a much shattered condition, and 

 are immediately succeeded by about 30 feet of a coarse conglomerate 

 with red sandstone-matrix, filled with large pebbles (8 inches in 

 diameter). This deposit is roughly stratified, owing to the alter- 

 nation of bands containing few pebbles with others in which they 

 are abundant ; the bands with many pebbles are, however, un- 

 stratified. Above this is 20 to 30 feet of sandstone with small 

 pebbles, and at the summit of the section a second coarse con- 

 glomerate, the pebbles in which, however, do not attain the 

 dimensions of those in the lower coarse accumulation. The summit 

 of the second accumulation is not exposed. The relations of the 

 second mass to the underlying finer deposits of pebbly sandstone 

 which is crushed in places are shown in the accompanying figure 

 (p. 13). 



The pebbles consist of fragments of grits, argillaceous strata, and 

 volcanic rocks, mainly derived from the adjacent Cross Eell Inlier, 

 though some have probably been denuded from rocks situated at a 

 greater distance. They possess the outward form of glacial boulders, 

 but a number of them, especially of the fine argillaceous rocks. 



