Geological Society, 221 



sandstone and greyish marl. In the sandstone the author noticed 

 no organic remains; but near the eastern boundary of the district he 

 observed, in a mass of clay mixed with sand, innumerable small 

 oysters ; and in a yellowish, calcareous freestone, corals, clypeas- 

 ters, pectens, and oysters. The best points for examining the 

 argillaceous beds are stated to be in the ravines between Lorca and 

 Velez Rubio, where they consist of about fifty feet of marl, con- 

 taining a few thin strata of reddish pulverulent sandstone, and 

 inclose shells belonging to the genera Pecten, Ostrea, Venus, 

 Tellina, Murex, Emarginula, &c. Upon the argillaceous strata 

 rests a bed of conglomerate in which the author found the long- 

 hinged oyster, so abundant in the newer formations of the South of 

 Spain. The inclined system occurs in the immediate vicinity of 

 Lorca, and consists in the lowest part of sandy loam and sandstone, 

 calcareous and quartzose freestone, and fine conglomerate ; and in 

 the upper part of foliaceous, indurated marl, gypseous marl, and 

 gypsum. No organic remains were noticed by the author. The 

 strata dip towards the north at an angle of 15 or 20 degrees, and 

 rest upon the highly-inclined beds of transition rocks. 



Totana. This village is about twenty miles E.N.E. of Lorca, 

 and is situated in a prolongation of the highly-inclined gypseous 

 system of the latter place. 



Alhama and Mula. In the immediate neighbourhood of Alhama 

 no tertiary strata occur, but to the north of the plain extending from 

 it to Murcia, is a hilly tract in which is situated Mula. The southern 

 part of this tract is composed of an immense deposit of earthy, 

 whitish -grey, argillaceous marl, containing numerous beds of gyp- 

 sum and brine springs, and the northern of a thick series of 

 sandstone and argillaceous beds which are slightly inclined towards 

 the south and dip under the former. In the alternating sandstone 

 and argillaceous beds, portions of the long-hinged oyster were 

 found. Beneath this series, in the neighbourhood of Mula, occur 

 beds of reddish sandy loam and sandstone, resting on highly inclined 

 strata of nummulitic limestone; and to the north of this ridge of lime- 

 stone is an horizontal deposit of the tertiary, shelly freestone before 

 described. Along the south-eastern border of the hilly district, the 

 gypseous formation is disturbed in the same manner as at Lorca 

 and Totana. 



Cartagena. In the neighbourhood of this town the tertiary 

 strata are extensively developed, and constitute, apparently, the 

 whole of the great plain which ranges from Cartagena north- 

 wards to the Fuensanta ridge. On the southern extremity of the 

 plain the strata dip towards the north, and at the northern extre- 

 mity towards the south. The surface of the district consists of 

 clay, marl and sand, which the author conceives have been de- 

 rived from the decomposition of the tertiary strata. The beds from 

 the eastern termination of the Fuensanta ridge to the Segura, con- 

 sist of the calcareous sandstones and comminuted shelly limestone ; 

 and in the neighbourhood of Cartagena the same beds are well 

 displayed in numerous and extensive quarries. 



