186 On the Geology of the Cliffs at Brighton, [March, 



from top to bottom by the solid chalk. On the west side, the 

 bed of pebbles is seen gradually to cease. On the east, it disap- 

 pears under masses which have fallen from the upper parts of 

 the cliff: at this part, therefore, not only the bed ot loose peb- 

 bles, but the upper and thick stratum of angular flints and clay, 

 are entirely wanting.* 



At that part of the cliff which is exactly opposite the end of 

 the New Steyne, the workmen were formmg a descent to the 

 shore, and this operation showed that the structure of the cliff 

 was precisely the same here as to the eastward. About halfway 

 down, a circular hole had been dug in the debris of chalk and 

 angular flints, and passed through the bed of loose rounded 

 pebbles into the chalk on which the bed was seen to rest. 



I could only see a section of the cliff on the west side of the 

 town in one spot, and that near its termination ; it was there 

 composed entirely of angular fragments of chalk flints. It is so 

 low that I suspect if the bed of loose pebbles extended so far, 

 and kept the same elevation it has on the east, that it must be 

 seen here. 



Above the cliff I could not see the slightest indication on the 

 surface of the junction of the debris with the chalk ; it certainly 

 does not extend far inland ; for at the west end of the town, 

 there is very near the shore, a clay from whence they make 

 bricks. At the church, the chalk is close to the surface, and 

 on the opposite side of the valley, it is seen at a less elevation ; 

 and between the town and Rottingdean, there are several indica- 

 tions of the chalk from within half a quarter of a mile to half 

 that distance from the edge of the cliff. 



It is remarkable that this stratum of debris externally con- 

 forms to the various undulations of the chalk surface to which it 

 is united ; so that from external appearances, no alteration of 

 the substratum would be suspected. 



At low water, the solid chalk may be seen forming the shore 

 all the way between Brighton and Rottingdean. 



• The following is Mr. Daniel's account of (as I suppose) this spot : " About half 

 way between Brighton and Rottingdean, the cliff presents some very curious and import- 

 ant particulars. The upper bed, which has been assuming by gradual degrees more and 

 more the characters of chalk, fs decidedly chalk, and towards the top contains two hori- 

 zontal veins of thin flint. The bed of shingles suddenly contracts to the width of a few 

 inches, but maintains its situation and characters uninterrupted. The lower bed of chalk 

 is intersected by veins of flint, which here traverse the bed of shingles, and continue their 

 course through the upper bed till they reach the horizontal veins before described." 



