590 
second report—1832. 
those in the South-west E. and W., being parallel not to one 
another but to the general line which marks the whole eleva¬ 
tions of our island, and which has been generally stated as from 
N.E. to S.W., but which strictly is a curve ranging N. and S. 
at one extremity, and E. and W. at the other. 
In proceeding to the details of the anticlinal lines of this period, 
Mr. Conybeare observes, that those most evidently of the same 
period, and in close geographical proximity, and very often 
even the prolongations of one and the same tortuous line, are 
anything rather than parallel, being in truth directed to the 
most opposite points of the compass. This is exemplified, first, 
in the anticlinals separating the coal-fields of the South-western 
counties, all which are shown to be positively coeval, while no 
two are parallel: 1. the Southern anticlinal of the Somerset 
coal-field elevates the Mendip Hills, and ranges E.W. ; 2. the 
Western anticlinal separating this field from that of the Fo¬ 
rest of Dean ranges nearly N. and S., but is somewhat tortu¬ 
ous, and is prolonged from the edge of the Bristol Channel to 
near Hereford, w r here it inosculates with another anticlinal, 3. 
separating the Forest of Dean from the South Welsh coal basin. 
This line at first ranges nearly N. and S. as far as Uske, when 
it trends round and proceeds E. and W., forming the great 
southern anticlinal of the South Welsh basin, which is attended 
by many parallel undulations *. Thus this same line of eleva¬ 
tion ranges at first 50 miles in one direction, and then turning 
proceeds more than 100 at right angles to its original course. 
The northern elevation of the same basin also ranges E. and 
W., and is attended by parallel undulations. 4. The eleva¬ 
tions of the Malvern Hills, N. and S., and, 5. of Charnwood 
Forest, N.W. S.E., probably took place at this epoch. 6. The 
great anticlinal of the carboniferous chain from Derbyshire 
to Northumberland, ranging N. and S., is next described, to¬ 
gether with the principal faults, many of them at right angles, 
which attend its course. 
IV. The fourth and last period examined by Mr. Conybeare 
includes the elevations which appear to have affected the trans¬ 
ition rocks anteriorly to the deposition of the carboniferous se¬ 
ries, coincident with the 1st term of M. de Beaumont, the Syst£me 
* Mr. Conybeare’s neighbourhood, the Glamorganshire coast, presents in¬ 
stances of opposition to another of M. de Beaumont’s canons: the general line 
of elevation of the carboniferous limestone is there E. and W.; its highly inclined 
strata are covered by more horizontal beds of magnesian limestone, red marl, 
and lias: these, though comparatively little disturbed, are yet occasionally 
affected by anticlinal lines and faults which also usually range E. and W. Thus 
we have lines of elevation of very different ages, yet generally parallel to each 
other. 
