1866.] HAEKNESS AND NICHOLSON LAKE-COUNTRY. 485 



with the Upper Caradoc group ; this latter, however, has a different 

 course, and belongs to a different system of faults than those of 

 Eurness. 



There are in the Lake-country two distinct systems of faults : 

 but they are not confined to it; they occur in the north of England 

 wherever the older Palaeozoic rocks present themselves, and they be- 

 long to different periods. The system which has a north-east and 

 south-west direction is older than the other ; and an instance of the 

 occurrence of this system out of the Lake-country is seen in the 

 section from Melmerby to Eoman Fell*. Here the fault brings in 

 contact the Coniston Limestone and the Skiddaw Slates, the down- 

 throw being towards the north-west. 



Another and a parallel fault was recognized last summer among 

 these old rocks of the north-east of Westmoreland, to the north-west 

 of that just referred to. It is seen along the course of a stream 

 which flows on the south side of Knock Pike, called Swindale Beck. 

 A short distance east of where this stream crosses the Pennine fault, 

 it flows over grey and purple shales; and among the former are 

 fossils similar to those of the flaggy beds of Dufton, but not in such 

 great abundance. PoUowing the stream upwards, we have on its 

 south-east side Skiddaw slates, characterized by the branching Bry- 

 ozoon. Here, therefore, within two miles of the fault near Keisley, 

 we have a second downthrow of the rocks to the north-west, which 

 brings into contact the fossiliferous Lower Caradoc beds with the 

 higher portion of the Lower Llandeilo. 



These north-east and south-west faults are of an ancient date. 

 They in no way affect the Upper Old Red Sandstone, which in some 

 spots rests unconformably on the older Palaeozoic rocks of the north 

 of England ; and the elevations and depressions which resulted from 

 the faults were entirely planed away before the period of the deposi- 

 tion of the Old Red Sandstone. 



The second system of faults, which has nearly a north and south 

 course, is newer than the Carboniferous age, and was probably 

 produced even after the Permian epoch. One of the faults of this 

 system occurs among the rocks which in Cumberland and West- 

 moreland lie immediately west of the Pennine escarpmentf. 



The faults of this system are very abundant in the Lake-country. 

 One of them traverses Windermere Lake and the country north 

 of it ; and, passing along the valley in which Thirlmere is situated, 

 it continues onwards by Glenderattera, the valley separating Skiddaw 

 from Saddle-back, to near Overwater, where it brings the green rocks 

 of Binsey Crag, on the east, against the Skiddaw slates, which occupy 

 the comparatively flat country on the west of this hill. 



Another of these faults, passing along the valley of the Duddon 

 northwards, intersects the rocks near Buttermere and Crummock- 

 water ; and on the west side of the stream connecting these lakes 

 the Skiddaw slates can be seen in contact with the green rocks on 

 this line of fault. 



^ Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. xxi. p. 239. 

 t Ibid. p. 246. 



