100 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



J. Hamilton, Esq., F.E.S. ; Warington W. Smyth, Esq., M.A., F.E.S. 

 Foreign Secretary — Hugh Falconer, M.D., F.E.S. Treasurer — Joseph. 

 Prestwich, Esa., F.E.S. Council— John J. Bigsby, M.D. ; George Busk, 

 Esq., F.E.S. ; kobert Chambers. Esq., F.E.S. E. and L.S. ; Sir P. G. Eger- 

 ton, Bart., M.P., F.E.S. ; John Evans, Esq., F.S.A. ; Eev. Robert Everest; 

 Hugh Falconer, M.D., F.E.S. ; E. A. C. Godwin- Austen, Esq., F.E.S. ; 

 William John Hamilton, Esq., F.E.S. ; Leonard Horner, Esq., F.E.S. L. 

 and E. ; Professor T. H. Huxley, F.E.S. ; Sir Charles Lyell, F.E.S. and 

 L.S. ; Robert Mallet, Esq., C.E., F.E.S. j Edward Meryon, M.D. ; John 

 Carrick Moore, Esq., F.E.S. ; Professor John Morris ; Eobert W. Mylne, 

 Esq., F.E.S. ; Joseph Prestwich, Esq., F.E.S. ; Professor A. C. Eamsay, 

 F.E.S. ; Warington W. Smyth, Esq., M.A., F.E.S. ; Alfred Tylor, Esq., 



F. L.S. ; Eev. Thomas Wiltshire, M.A. ; S. P. Woodward, Esq. The 

 members that retired from the Council were : — Sir Roderick Murchison; 



G. P. Scrope, Esq. ; John Lubbock, Esq. ; the Earl of Enniskillen ; and 

 Sir Charles Banbury. 



Manchester Geological Society. — December 30(h. — " On the Car- 

 boniferous rocks of Shap and Crosby Eavensworth." By J. S. Bland, Esq. 

 The rocks considered in this paper are a series of the Lower Carbonife- 

 rous or mountain limestone, on the east side of the Lake Mountains in 

 Westmoreland. These, it is well known, flank the old slate rocks of which 

 the mountains are formed, on nearly all sides : but most regularly in the 

 north-west, north, and north-east ; running from Egremont by Brigham, 

 Ireby, Grey stoke, Lowther, Shap, Orton, to Eavenstonedale. Mr. Binney 

 describes a portion, or section of this series, in the vicinity of Shap and 

 Crosby Eavensworth, across to the New Eed Sandstone in the neighbour- 

 hood of Appleby. The New Eed Sandstone, in its turn, overlies the Carbo- 

 niferous series, covering the whole of the north of Cumberland, from Mary- 

 port, around by Penrith, Ormside, to Kirkby Stephen, which is the ex- 

 treme southern point it reaches. From there the line runs back by Brough, 

 and the side of the Crossfell range, to Brampton, in Cumberland, and so 

 northwards into Scotland. 



About a mile from Shap Wells, are Wasdale Crags, the crest of a great 

 mountain mass of porphyrinic granite ; flanking this, on the N. and IX.E. 

 sides, are the Lower Silurian, or green slate rocks ; on the S. and S.E., are 

 the Coniston series of flags, also considered as Lower Silurian, but of 

 later formation ; lying between these, is the Coniston limestone, described 

 by Professor Sedgwick as running in an almost direcr line from Amble- 

 side. From the granite rocks northwards, across West Sleddale, the green 

 slates occur ; after which, as far north as Eosgill Moor, are a series of 

 dark shaly slates, similar in character to the Skiddaw slates. In some 

 beds Graptolites have been found by Professor Harkness. To the N. and 

 vy . again, are the green slate rocks ; these, each in their position, are over- 

 laid, unconfbrmably by the Old Eed Sandst one, or where it is wanting, by 

 the Carboniferous series. These rocks, therefore, formed the dry land, 

 againsl which the waves of the Old Eed Sandstone sea made their last throws, 

 —a wild and barren coast. The Old Eed Sandstone, lying upon each of the 

 dillerent series enumerated, represents a roast-line, nearly at right angles 

 to that of the Coniston group of deposits ; consequently, a great change in 

 the relative position of land and water must have taken place about the 

 close of the Silurian era ; of which. Shap granite has in this district been the 

 d ist urbine power. The Old Eed Sandstone from Shap Wells south to Tebay, 

 is a considerable i h ick ness of dark red sandstone, with conglomerates above. 

 From Shap Wells, northwards, its position is indicated by conglomerate 

 and red shales, evidently the deposits of an ancient shore ; the best sections 



