1851.] SEDGWICK — PALEOZOIC ROCKS OF WESTMORELAND. 35 



been observed in the Coal-formation. The rarity, indeed, of recog- 

 nizable stems of Ferns in this formation, when compared with the 

 profusion of their leaves, is quite remarkable, and might incline one 

 to suspect that these plants were not fossilized on the spot where 

 they grew. It is rare to find, in the Ferns of the Coal-measures, even 

 the stipes or leaf-stalk completely preserved down to its base : the 

 only specimen of this kind that I have seen is a beautiful Sphe- 

 nopteris (I believe S. elegans) from the Edinburgh coal-field, in the 

 collection of Mr. Hugh Miller. On the other hand, the state of 

 preservation of the fronds themselves seems to show that they cannot 

 have been transported from any great distance, and I .am well aware 

 that there are strong geological objections to any hypothesis of 

 drifting, especially when we consider the vast extent of some coal- 

 fields. It is possible that a diligent examination of the immense 

 carboniferous deposits of the United States and New Brunswick may 

 hereafter throw some light on various obscure questions, both in 

 Geology and Palseo-botany. 



2. On the Lower Paleozoic Rocks at the Base of the Carbo- 

 niferous Chain between Ravenstonedale and Ribbles- 

 DALE. By the Rev. A. Sedgwick, F.R.S., G.S. &c. 



A glance of the eye over the geological map of England shows us, 

 in the upper part of the valley of the Eden, a very remarkable re- 

 entering angle in the base-line of the Carboniferous Limestone. 

 Taking our point of departure from the foot of Stainmoor, we trace 

 the Pennine Chain (which at Cross Fell reaches the height of nearly 

 3000 feet) in a direction about N.E. by N. ; and the Yorkshire pro- 

 longation of the same carboniferous chain in a direction about S.S.W. ; 

 while another carboniferous chain, branching off from the former 

 near Kirkby Stephen, may be traced in a semicircular sweep round 

 the northern flanks of the great Cumbrian cluster of mountains. The 

 re-entering angle in the base-line of the Pennine chain is partly ac- 

 counted for by the intersection of two enormous breaks or faults — 

 the Pennine fault and the Craven fault"^ ; and the whole country, 

 from Brough and Kirkby Stephen to the foot of Stainmoor, is filled 

 with broken masses of the Pennine chain, which have been rent off 

 by the two lines of fracture, and thrown down, in great confusion, 

 into the lower parts of the valley. 



The Craven fault has been described in considerable detail by Pro- 

 fessor Phillips t and myself J. The Pennine fault, ranging near the 



* See Phillips's Illustr. Geol. Yorksh. Part 2. pi. 24. fig. 14, and Geological 

 Map, pi. 25, 



t Trans. Geol. Soc. 2nd Ser. vol. iii, pp. 5-15 ; and Geol. Yorkshire, pp. 107, 

 120, &c. 



X Trans. Geol. Soc. 2nd Ser. vol. iv. p. 60 et seq., and 69 et seq. I gave this 

 great break among the lower strata of the carboniferous chain the name of the 



d2 



