452 



MR. W. H. PENNING ON THE 



The general absence of fossils makes it very difficult to assign the 

 several formations to their proper geological position ; and it is 

 therefore convenient to continue the use of local names. The only 

 formation that can yet be approximately classified is the newest of 

 all, that whicli in 1884 I described as the " High-Levcl Coal-fields 

 of South Africa " *, and which I take to be of Oolitic age. The 

 evidence is, first, the Glossopteris (?) found in the sandstones in 1884 ; 

 and, secondly, a block of sandstone recently brought from the Free 

 State, which shows casts and impressions of fishes like Lepidotiis f. 

 The various formations in the Transvaal are provisionally classified 

 as on the opposite page : — 



(b) The De-Kaap Valley and Northern Swaziland. — The oldest 

 series of stratified rocks in this region is that here provisionally 

 called the " De-Kaap Valley Beds" (6, on the map and sections), 

 and which I believe to be of Silurian age, although there is no fossil 

 evidence except that of a few obscure corals. See my description 

 of these deposits, Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. xli. (1885) p. 571. 



In a southerly direction this series passes through Steynsdorp 

 with diminishing width of outcrop ; and this strengthens my argu- 

 ment that a great break has let down the beds against the granite, 

 along the inner side of the mountains forming the border of Swazi- 

 land, from the N.E. corner of that country as far as the Komati 

 Eiver. In a similar manner the same beds terminate on the north 

 against another fault that runs nearly parallel with the Crocodile 

 Biver ; and these two faults will probably be found to coalesce a 

 few miles to the eastward. 



One additional section may be given, — that of the beds immedi- 

 ately enclosing the well-known " Sheba Ileef ": — 



On the S. side of Sheba Creek, a deep gorge shows at least 1000 



feet 



Schists and flagstones. 



On the N". side of the Creek, 



Quartz-schist, oyer 



Quartzite. 



Qiiartzite, auriferous ; " Sheba Reef," richest on upper side. 



Schists and flagstones. 



Dip S. 45°. 



II. The Megaliesberg Formation. 



"When the paper to which reference has been made was written, 

 the gold-fields of the Witwatersrand were unknown, but those of 

 Lydenburg were even then considered by me to lie on the Megalies- 

 berg formation (Devonian ?) %. I then stated that " at the base of 

 these Devonian rocks (especially at the DeviFs Kantoor) is frequently 

 seen a series of conglomerates and sandstones formed from 



* Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. xl. pp. 658 et scqq. 



t The photograph sent by the Author is recognized by Mr. A. S. Woodward 

 as showing Scmionotus capensis, A. S. W., Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. xliv. 

 (1888) pp. 138-14U, pi. 6, figs. 1-5.— Editor. 



\ Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. xli. (1885) p. 576. 



