Vol. 62.] OEDOVICIAN OF WESTERN CAEE3IAETBLENSH1EE. 59' 



28. The Oedovtcian Eocks of Westeen Caeehaethenshiee. 

 Ey David Cledxtn Evans, F.G.S. (Eead May 9th, 1906.) 



[Plate XLVI-Map.] 



Contents. 



Page 



I. Introduction 597 



II. General Eemarks 598 



III. The Succession and detailed Description of the Eocks ... 602 

 IV. Concluding Eemarks 641 



I. Inteodtjction. 



This little contribution to the geology of Caermarthenshire is 

 the result of leisure-work done during some years' residence in the 

 district. 



The ground dealt with is practically identical with that examined 

 by the late Thomas Eoberts, M.A., whose notes were published in 

 the Quarterly Journal of this Society for May 1893 (vol. xlix) : 

 that is, from the Eiver Cywyn on the east to the Tave on the west, 

 and from the base of the Old Eed Sandstone on the south to the 

 top of the Dicranograjptiis-$h.ales on the north — roughly, a rect- 

 angular tract of country 11 miles long by 6 miles wide. 



(1) Previous work done. — George Owen, of Henllys, as long 

 ago as the year 1595, had given some attention to the economic 

 geology of the district, and in a manuscript, an extract from which 

 is appended to Eichard Fenton's ' Historical Tour through Pembroke- 

 shire,' refers to certain limestone-bands that occur here, notingv 

 by the way, the proximity of limestones to the coal- deposits of 

 the country. This inference has, from time to time, led to much 

 expenditure of labour and money in a futile search for coal. Levels 

 were driven and pits were sunk ; but, of course, no coal was found — 

 except in the fertile imagination of credulous though well-meaning 

 people. 



The district was examined by the officers of the Geological 

 Survey in 1842, and the results of their labours are recorded in 

 Sheets xli (Map) and 13 (Sections). 



John Phillips, in his Memoir on the Malvern and Abberley 

 Hills, records a fairly-long list of fossils collected here. The 

 graptolitiferous rocks of the district have had the attention of 

 Prof. Lap worth ; and the late Thomas Eoberts, M.A., of Cam- 

 bridge, had proceeded some way with the working-out of the 

 ground when his valuable life was cut short, leaving the task 

 unfinished. His notes, however, fell into competent hands, and 

 were placed on record, as stated above. They have proved of 

 great help to me, and may be considered as the basis of this 

 humble effort. 



