1§22.] Geological Society, 461 



of a splintery fracture, of various shades of grey and buff, forlns 

 the mass and superior parts of the range of hills which divides 

 the plain of Athens. 



The hills of the Pirceus and Munychia are composed of a soft 

 calcareous stone containing magnesia, and including organic 

 remains. 



Ajyril 19. — A letter was read from Sir Alexander Crichton, 

 accompanying a specimen of fossil shells from the neighbour- 

 hood of Tunbridge Wells. 



The basis of the country around Tunbridge Wells is well 

 known to be composed of ferruginous sandstone, and it would 

 appear that the remains of organized bodies are very rarely 

 found in it. The specimien presented by Sir Alexander Crichton 

 occurred in a quarry on the side of the Groombridge road, 

 adjoining the property of Mr. Powell. The petrifactions which 

 they contain are described as '' occupying small cavities in the 

 sandstone rock, which are filled with ovate-shaped masses of 

 ironstone, apparently composed of sand and clay, and the casts 

 of shells." 



The blocks of stone split easily, and on the surface thus dis- 

 closed exhibit innumerable fine casts of shells, but in no instance 

 have any remains of the shells themselves been found. The 

 author states various considerations to account for the appear- 

 ances and situation of these remains. 



Sir Alexander Crichton subjoins a statement that in sinking 

 a well recently at Tunbridge Wells, coal was met with at the 

 depth of 50 or 60 feet from the surface ; the larger, however, 

 was so thin that it was not expected to be useful. 



A letter was read from the Rev. John Rogers, of Exeter, con- 

 taining a sketch of the Geology of Haldon Hill. 



The road from Exeter towards Elphinstone, for the first mile 

 and a half, consists of alluvial soil, containing silicious and argil- 

 laceous pebbles ; to this, red marl succeeds, which is continued 

 to within a quarter of a mile of the summit of Haldon Hill. The 

 beds dipping NE. and NW. at angles of 5° to 10° with the hori- 

 zon. The construction of the new road between Exeter and 

 Chudleigh has recently afforded a very distinct section of some 

 of the rocks, of which Haldon Hill near its summit is composed. 



Ascending the hill, the road is cut chiefly through the red 

 marl, which, near the top, contains pieces of rolled granite, and 

 of claystone porphyry of several varieties. These, with other 

 substances, form a sort of bed, from six to twelve inches thick, 

 in which the porphyry predominates ; and about a quarter of a 

 mile from the highest point of the hill, the red marl is succeeded 

 by a bed of yellow sand; the junction being abrupt, without 

 waving or intermixture. Above this sand, on every part of 

 Haldon examined by the writer, a bed of flints was found. 



Above the junction, the sand is traversed by an irregular bed 

 of yellowish-grey sandstone, which, in some places, assumes a 



