858 OTK GEOLOGICAL NOMENCLA.TUKE. 



represents our Bath Oolite proper, Bradford Clay, Forest 

 Marble and Combrash, altogether no great thickness with us; but of 

 somewhat greater importance on the Continent. From an English 

 point of view then it would seem more suitable to have used the 

 word '^ Bathonian " here, taking it from the third column where it 

 stands for our " Lower Oolite;" it must be confessed, however, that 

 confusion may arise between the " Lower Oolite " and *' Inferior 

 Oolite " of English classifications. The arrangement of the Table 

 is very clear and there is no inconsistency in using ** Bathonian" 

 as denoting all our Lower Oolites, for they all occur round the town 

 of Bath ; at the same time it is giving the word a wider acceptation 

 than was given to it by D'Orbigny, but is at any rate preferable to 

 the German use of the English word *' Dogger" for the Lower 

 Oolites. 



Our ** Inferior Oolite" so called is divided into two divisions 

 supposed to correspond to the Murchisonoe and Humphresianus zones. 

 "With us the Parkinsoni zone is included in the Dundry or Inferior 

 Oolite, being inseparably united with them and below the Fuller's 

 Earth Rock, but according to the Table it ranges higher in some 

 places (see column headed " French Alps.") 



The top division of the Lias corresponds to our Midford or Upper 

 Lias Sands, the former designation being much preferable to the 

 latter, for it is still a question whether it is best classed with the TT. 

 Lias or Inf. Oolite. The paloentological affinities may be with the 

 Lias, but the petrological characteristics are unquestionably rather 

 those belonging to the Inf. Oolite. It would seem to be much the 

 same in Suabia judging from the position given to the beds by 

 Professor Quenstedt. 



The Middle Lias is called '' Cymbien" from Gryphea cymbium a 

 leading fossil. 



Professor Renevier some twelve years ago proposed the term 

 *' Hettangien " to represent the Planorbis beds ; this is a most 

 convenient expression and far preferable to the Infra-Lias of some 

 authors : the beds well deserve the rank of a sub-division of the 



