2. Upper Slates of the South-Eastern District.—This formation is divided by Professor Sedgwick into three ill-defined groups ; 1, the fossiliferous rocks south of Kendal and of Kirkby Moor ; 2, a lower group, like the former in lithological structure, but with a more decided slaty impress and fewer traces of fossils ; 3, a complicated group of calcareous slates, alternating with hard coarse siliceous beds, and several bands of fine roofing-elates, all resting on the fossiliferous limestone of Coniston. Mr. D. Sharpe also separates this division of the slate rocks into three groups (` Proceedings of Geological Society,' London, 1843), and seeks to identify them with the three principal groups of Sir R. I. Murchison's Silurian system ; and his division has been followed by subsequent writers. Mr. Sharpe's division will be found in the following descending order on making a traverse from the south-east to the north-west; as, for instance, from Kirkby Lens dale, where the uppermost beds underlie the old red-sandstone, to the Coniston limestone above Low Wood, at the head of Windermere. First, the Upper Ludlow rocks, occupying tho greater part of the district between the lower parts of the Kent and Lune, succeeded by a band of Lower Ludlow rooks; next, a series of unfossiliferous beds (of considerable thickness when expanded in the district of Furness), which are provisionally named Windermere rocks, and are the assumed equivalents of the Wenlock formation ; and, lastly, a series of slates (Kirkby Ireleth), gray slaty grits, blue flagstones, and Coniston lime stone--the four last being tho supposed equivalents of the Caradoo sandstone.
The Coniston limestone forms a well-defined though Irregular base to this division of the slates on the north-west (this boundary being rudely marked by the line we supposed to be drawn from Shap Wells to Windermere Head). On the south and south-east it is bounded by Morecambe Bay and the carboniferous rocks, and it extends eastward as far as the border of the county, except where it is overlaid by the carboniferous series of Yorkshire. The rocks on the east b Ink of the Lune are separated from those on the west bank by an enormous fault, which ranges in the direction of that river. Middleton and the other fells on the eastern side of the Lune are composed of the beds of tho middle group of this division. The rocks to the east of Kendal, and those which break out beneath the western escarpment of the car boniferous limestone of Underharrow Scar, abound with Upper Silurian fossils, and the Coniston limestone is charged with Lower Silurian crustacean shells and corals. The middle term is unfortunately with out organic remains, and in the absence of separating calcareous hands (Aymestry and Wenlock limestones), Professor Sedgwlek's recom mendation to separate the whole upper division of the slates of West morland into two groups, an upper and a lower, eeeme to be as yet the safest plan. These uppermost elates are harder than those of the lowest sense, and give to the mountains formed of them a more angular and picturesque outline and rugged surface; but they do not In these respects equal the middle series of slate rocks, which form mountains of greater elevation and more picturesque character. Tho mountains formed by the uppermost slates rarely have a height of 1000 feet, being inferior not only to the middle slate mountains (Helvellyn, Langdale Pikes, &c.), but also to the limestone mountains
of the Pennine chain. Valuable flagstones are obtained from thoso rocks In many places, and copper is found In some parts of them.
8. Carboniferous Rocks, &c.—Tbe Inspection of any accurate geolo gical map of the lake district will at once point to the fact that a mantle of carboniferous rocks has at one period continuously extended round tho whole of the Cumbrian slates. On the north-east of the line we have supposed to be drawn from the foot of Ulleswater to Ilavenstonedale, the belt of carboniferous rocks is still unbroken, and resting on the elates.
The mountain limestone occupies all the county north-east of the line of junction except the valley of the Eden, which is chiefly occupied by the new red-sandstone; a small district between Appleby and Shap, where the limestone is covered by the coal-measures; and a portion of the county east of the upper valley of the Eden, where the limestone Is covered by the millstone-grit and shale. The mountain limestone forms the mass of the Pennine chain, attaining in Cross Fell, which is in Cumberland, but close upon the border of Westmorland, a height of 2e01 feet. The formations of the mountain limestone observed in this county are among the lowest In the series. Among them occurs a stratum of whin, or basalt, 60 feet thick. On the steep western escarpment of the Pennine chain the subjacent beds of old red-sand stone appear, and even the elate rocks beneath the old red-a ordstone. There is a remarkable cavern in the mountain limestone at Duvall, five miles from Dufton ; and there are several lead-mines near Dufton, where autimoniated lead-ore, lead-ore with such a superabundance of sulphur as to take fire and burn on being held in the flame of a candle, and small quantities of malachite, are obtained. Beautiful specimens of flos-ferri, or err:Igo:mite, of ,now-whito colour and satin like lustre, and witherite, of clove-brown colour and striated texture, have been found in Dalton mine. There are copper-mines near Orton and Kirkby Stephen.
The mountain limestone has been said to rest commonly on the slate& Oa the western escarpment however of the Pennine Chain, from Cross Fell, 15 miles southward, to Highcup, near Murton, the old red.sandstone or conglomerate intervenes, having a dip conform able to that of the limestone. It is observed also in the valley of the Lune near Orton, and lower down near Kirkby Lonsdale, end in the valley of the Mint and several other places near Kendal. It appears here in its common form of a coarse pudding-steno. The subjacent elate, which is co-extensive with the old red-sandstone, forms a kind of broken under-terrace along the escarpment, and is bounded on its west aide by a narrow and irregular but nearly parallel line of green stone. This small slate and greenstono district is distinguished by three lofty conical summits or pikes; Knock Pike, the most northerly, is chiefly composed of greenatotio; Dutton Pike, near Knock Pike, contains both greenstone and slate ; and Murton Pike, the southern most and the loftiest, appears to be almost entirely composed of slate. Imperfect roofing slate is dug on Langdon Moor, near Murton Pike, and at Middle ltig ; and slate-pencils are obtained in several places. Coal is not very abundant, and is seldom worked.