OF THE SOUTH DEVON COAST. 74 
schist are intercalated in the chloritic schist, the lowest forming a 
skerry insulated at high water, the other two exposed on the face of 
a rocky masson the shore. The lower of these is about four feet at 
its thickest part ; but both are rather lenticular in form, and in one 
place the chloritic schist appears to be nipped between two beds of 
mica-schist. The latter is banded with thin quartzose lamine, and 
has a more gneissic aspect than the rock at the Start*, I also 
observed that it was more corrugated than the interbedded chloritic 
schist. The dip varies from about 20° to 30° to N.N.W., or 
afew degrees more to the north. These interstratified schists, so 
far as I can ascertain, are the lowest rocks exposed in this district. 
I followed these associated schists for some distance, the rock at 
one place being much contorted and cut by quartz veins several inches 
thick. ‘Then I ascended the inland cliff, which consists of chloritic 
schists with one or two bands of mica-schist. After this, keeping 
along the coast, which now trends nearly N.E., I continued to 
traverse interbedded chloritic and mica-schists, sometimes much 
rolled about, but generally striking not far from EH. and W., and 
with the prevalent dip on the northern side at a rather tow angle, 
until (I omit details of minor importance) I lost the chloritic schist 
on reaching a headland projecting from the Start promontory towards 
the south. The last band of the chloritic schist appears to strike out 
to sea, so as to pass beneath the lowest rocks of the Start. My exami- 
nation of this part of the coast, especially about Lannacombe Mill. 
and to the east of it, led me to the conclusion that the mass of 
chloritic schist probably thins, and is certainly split up by bands of 
mica-schist as it is traced eastward. 
Returning to Prawle Point, we can follow the chloritic schist 
already described along the limit of free cliffs for a distance of nearly 
half a mile to a projecting headland. The evidence as to the dip 
of the strata is sometimes obscure, sometimes variable; but on the ~ 
whole the dip seems to be high, perhaps about 60°, and the inclina- 
tion slightly to the W. of N. Beyond the headland the readings are 
discordant, the beds in one place appearing to plunge to the S., 
in another to the N.E. The strike, however, seems generally to be 
about EK. and W., and folds are very probable. A short distance to 
north of the headland the chloritic schist is replaced by mica-schist 
(the prolongation of that already mentioned as forming the ridge 
just below Prawle village), the line of junction being almost 
vertical (fig. 3). The latter is rather greener in colour than usual. 
In the cove beyond we again find chloritic schist, but on the further 
side mica-schist occurs again. The latter is wonderfully gnarled 
and quartz-veined, the zigzagging bands appearing generally to be 
almost vertical. The former also indicates great disturbance, though 
* Probably this is the rock spoken of by De la Beche as “ gneiss ;” but 
I should agree with Sedgwick and Murchison in preferring to call it a mica- 
schist. 
+ Here I may venture to call attention to the coast scenery. Rarely, except 
in the recesses of the Alps, have I found a spot so perfect in its solitude or so 
impressive in its grandeur as on the crags of this headland. 
