288 PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. [Mar. 22, 
the melting of the rock-salt in the districts of Northwich and 
Winsford. 
It was shown that the salt-measures are exhibited in the best man- 
ner in a line taken from Mow to Middlewich and Northwich, and 
along the lower valley of the Weever to Frodsham. On the Dane, 
above Congleton, the gypsum bassets out conformably above the 
waterstone beds. At Frodsham, and again on the Bollin near Castle 
Hill, gypseous beds in a similar manner overlie the waterstone beds, 
showing that the gypsum underlies as well as overlies the salt beds. 
The thickness of the red marls overlying the gypseous beds I have 
not been able to estimate. 
At Bug Lawton, near Congleton, the gypseous beds were bored into 
360 feet. At Church Lawton, also im the same vicinity, as shown 
by the section before given, the salt-measures were sunk into 289 feet 
without penetrating through the lowest bed. ‘These sinkings give a 
thickness of 649 feet to the saliferous and gypseous beds in that 
district, without taking into calculation the portion intervening be- 
tween the lowest poimt reached at Church Lawton and the top of 
the beds at Bug Lawton. 
At Northwich the saliferous and gypseous beds have been sunk 
into 499 feet, and at Middlewich the beds (which I consider as un- 
derlying the Northwich beds) have been sunk into 309 feet, making 
a total thickness of 808 feet. The thickness therefore of the gyp- 
seous and saliferous beds, taking the average from these, the only 
places where any estimate can be made of their thickness, is upwards 
of 700 feet. The waterstone beds underlymg the gypseous beds I 
estimate as upwards of 400 feet m thickness. ‘The Bunter sandstein 
I estimate as upwards of 600 feet m thickness. Marls, which ap- 
pear to be the magnesian marls, I have found at Hug Bridge, and Mr. 
Binney has found these marls at Poynton. At both places the beds 
are so thin as to be not worth notice in estimating thickness. The 
total thickness therefore of the new red sandstone in Cheshire may 
be estimated as above 1700 feet. This I consider to be far below 
the thickness. Each subdivision is probably much thicker. 
As stated at the commencement, it has been only attempted in 
these pages to give a general outline of the chief geological features 
of Cheshire. To enter into a full account of the greater portion of 
the district would be little more than to detail the varying dips of the 
beds of the new red sandstone, and furnish particulars of bormgs in 
the sands and clay. The first, a map will show more clearly than 
any description. The last, as also numerous separate portions of this 
district, can only be satisfactorily considered by themselves. 
Marcu 22, 1848. 
N. Beardmore, Esq., Wm. Freeland, Esq., John R. Maclean, Esgq., 
William Wills, Esq., Robert H. Semple, Esq., and Capt. R. T. W. 
L. Brickenden, were elected Fellows. 
The following communications were read :— 
