South-Western Part of Somersetshire^ 345 



chief objection to the word. To those however who may give to 

 it the theoretical meaning which this word implies in the Wernerian 

 system, I must again point out the alternations of quartz rock, 

 and of a clay slate, with beds of limestone full of organic remains. 

 The clay slate cannot be distinguished from that of a primitive 

 country. 



, § 5. A reference to the accompanying map will serve better 

 than any description to shew the extent of country occupied by 

 this formation : it remains for me to point out some of those cir- 

 cumstances connected with it which appear to be worthy of more 

 particular notice. • - 



The north hill which extends along the shore from Minehead 

 to Porlock, forming a very bold and precipitous coast, aflfords the 

 best opportunity of studying this grauwacke formation. At 

 Greenaley point, about a mile westward of Minehead, there are 

 very lofty sections where the alternations of the different varieties 

 may be distinguished, and where there are also very good examples 

 of those curvatures, which, in this formation, are of such frequent 

 occurrence. Strata that run for some distance in a horizontal line 

 suddenly turn up into a vertical position, at other times they assume 

 the form of an arch or a succession of great curves. It is hardly 

 necessary to say that these rocks could not have been deposited in 

 the forms they now exhibit, and it is pretty evident that the flexures 

 must have taken place while the rock was in a plastic state, for 

 there Is no fracture at the bendings, nor any interruption to the 

 continuity of the mass. Similar curvatures are to be seen at Hur- 

 stone point, the western extremity of North hill. These appear- 

 ances are so well known that drawings of them are unnecessary : 

 they are very analogous to those observed by Mr. Conybeare in 

 the same rocks on this coast, some miles westward, and repre- 



VoL. HI. 2x 



