32S DR. A. M. DAVIES AND MR. J. PRINGLE OS [June I913,. 



(1) The wide vertical range of the fossils in the Eastern Boring 

 makes it impossible to identify any of the individual fossil-bands 

 in one boring with those in the other. The igneous sills of the 

 Eastern Boring were certainly not passed through in the Western 

 Boring below 456 feet, but there is a possibility that the term 

 'ironstone-bands, 2 feet 8 inches' might refer to an igneous sill. 

 Even if we could be sure of this, or identify any other horizon as 

 occurring in both borings, it would not be safe to infer that the 

 two borings were approximately in the same strike-line : for 

 either a fold or a strike-fault might cause the repetition of the 

 same horizon, even though the strike were north and south. 



'We conclude, therefore, that no inference can be drawn as to the 

 strike of the Tremadoc Shales. 



If the gas-bearing strata in the Western Boring could be shown 

 to be conformable upon the Tremadoc Shales, we might infer that 

 the dip has a westerly component in its direction. What is known 

 of the Tremadoc Beds of Warwickshire and the Malverns does not 

 lend any support to such a view : it seems much more probable 

 that the gas-bearing strata are unconformable upon the Tremadoc 

 Shales, in which case no inference as to the dip of the latter can 

 be drawn. 



(2) Before the Western Boring was re-started, much trouble was 

 taken to stop the outflow of gas, with such success that when 

 later the lining tubes were withdrawn, it was some months before 

 the gas again succeeded in escaping. From this it is evident that 

 the gas is confined to strata of limited thickness, not extending 

 to any great depth below the base of the Lias. It must come, 

 therefore, from porous strata which thin out completely in the 

 370 yards between the two borings. The gas must have been 

 effectually sealed down by the impermeable Liassic clay above; 

 but, in order to account for the maintenance of a high pressure 

 for so long a time, we must suppose not only that these eastward 

 wedging-out strata are continuous with an extensive mass on the 

 west, but that they must have a more or less westward dip. 

 The thin edge of a downward-pointed wedge would be a very 

 bad site for a gas-boring. 



This would seem to suggest a Palaeozoic age for the gas-bearing 

 strata, since the Mesozoic beds of this region have a normally south- 

 eastward dip ; and it is by no means impossible that the gas may 

 come from either Devonian (Old Bed Sandstone) or Carboniferous 

 strata, resting unconformably upon the Tremadoc. 



While fully recognizing this possibility, Ave nevertheless incline 

 to another view. We have already pointed out that the great 

 ilepth to which the Tremadoc Shales are stained red and green in 

 both borings suggests that Triassic strata may once have covered 

 them. If so, may it not be that we have here actually the feather- 

 edge of the Trias ? Such a feather-edge would be continuous with 

 an extensive mass to the westward, and its dip would not be the 

 tectonic dip of the later Mesozoic strata, but the dip of original 

 deposition on the Palaeozoic floor, which sinks north-westwards. 



