On the Upper Carboniferous Rocks of West Devon and North Cornwall

Abstract

I. Introduction. For some years past my attention has been directed to a study of the Upper Carboniferous rocks of Devon and Cornwall. The main object of enquiry has been to ascertain as much as possible of the fossil plant-remains, more especially with a view to determining the horizons to which they belong. Some of the results attained have been already published. Inthe present, communication an account is given of more recent and concluding observations. It has been thought well to add some brief reference to the main conclusions which have appeared else-where, in order to treat of the whole area under discussion in as connected a manner as possible. In a previous paper 1 a description was given of the fossil plants obtained from the district around Bideford, the geology of which is well known and has been repeatedly described. 2 The present paper is, in the main, concerned with a much wider area. As the result of a close search for plant-remains in the Upper Carboniferous rocks lying to the south and west of Bideford, and extending into North Cornwall, other discoveries have been made incidental to the progress of the main line of enquiry. These, although strictly lying beyond my province, I have felt it my duty to record,if only imperfectly, since the district has not hitherto been examined. Thus, in addition to the plant-evidence, I have endeavoured to add some account of the physical characters of the beds, as well as of the invertebrate fossils which