360 MantelVs Geology of the South-East of England. 



published their Outlines of the Geology of England^ in 1822, 

 although they had both examined the country, were not 

 acquainted with its true character, which remained to be 

 discovered some time afterwards by the labours of Mr. 

 Mantell and of Dr. Fitton. The Weald district contains a 

 series of freshwater strata, below the chalk formation, 1000 ft. 

 or more in thickness. Dr. Fitton states "that in the year 

 1831, when he was about to visit Hastings, he was informed 

 that there was nothing there of any interest ; that the whole 

 was merely iron sand, with few or none of those appearances 

 which so well repay the close examination of other districts. 

 It is now known, on the contrary, that the range of varied 

 country included by the chalk downs of Kent, Surrey, Hants, 

 and Sussex, is one of the most interesting geological tracts in 

 England ; that it is the depository of some most curious and 

 peculiar organised remains, and affords some of the best 

 evidence hitherto obtained respecting the great and astonish- 

 ing changes which have taken place upon the surface of the 

 globe.^.jiilfe'isiihis interesting country which Mr. Mantell 

 describes in the present volume, from long-continued observ- 

 ations. He has delineated the features of its physical geo- 

 graphy, and the peculiarities of its geology, in a very luminous 

 manner ; and has also given a full and clear account of its 

 organic remains, elucidated by beautiful lithographic draw- 

 ings, and numerous well-executed woodcuts. The Hylaeo- 

 saurus, or forest lizard, an unknown animal, of which the 

 remains were discovered by Mr. Mantell, in 1832, in Tilgate 

 Forest, appears to have been about 25 ft. in length, and 

 differs in several remarkable parts of its structure from any 

 known species of crocodile or lizard, living or fossil. A large 

 and finely executed lithographic print is given of these 

 remains. Of the monstrous animal, the iguanodon, formerly 

 discovered by Mr. Mantell, some account is given in this 

 Magazine (Vol. III. p. 13.)? since which time the claw and 

 other parts of the animal have been found, and are deli- 

 neated in this work. It contains a complete tabular arrange- 

 ment of the fossils of Sussex. Various sections are also 

 given of the district. Among these not the least interesting 

 are those of the cliffs at Brighton, in which Mr. Mantell has 

 discovered many remarkable circumstances that had escaped 

 the attention of former observers, particularly a bed of con- 

 glomerate, which contains the bones and teeth of the ox, the 

 deer, the horse, and the Asiatic elephant: he has deno- 

 minated this the elephant bed. It extends from Brighton to 

 Rottingdean. We regard this volume as one of the most 

 valuable works on local geology that has yet appeared; and, 

 as it relates to a country that is more frequented than any 



