Eocene Strata of the Bellarine Peninsula. 5 



dip of both deposits being to the seraward. This dip is the most 

 marked peculiarity of the beds in this locality. There occurs a 

 band of about six feet in thickness of marked character which 

 can be traced, with but few intermissions, for two miles along 

 the coast. Its upper portion consists of about three feet of dark- 

 brown earthy limestone, very sandy, and containing casts of 

 fossils; below this, is about 18 inches of gray clay and then about 

 tlie same thickness of a I'ock similar to the upper band, but more 

 easily weathered and of a lighter hue. Both above and below 

 this band, occur stiff blue clays similar to those of Mornington, 

 Spring Creek and the Gellibrand. The angle of dip averages 

 about 25°. In some places it is as low as 10° and near the western 

 end of the section for about 30 yards it dips at 45°. Dipping as 

 the beds do, this hard band stands out from the softer clays like 

 a wall, usually from two to three feet above the almost level floor 

 of the beach. The beds as shown by this band are contorted and 

 faulted. At the parish boundary, we can on ascending the low 

 cliff, see the band coming in to the shore from the north-east and 

 winding with a serpentine curvature. It sweeps round the point 

 in one curve, the dip swinging through an arc of 90°, from a few 

 degrees east of north to a few degrees north of west. Numerous 

 small faults occur, trending north-west, the throw being usually 

 a {qw inches and rarely exceeding a foot, and the hade nearly 

 vertical. In one place we counted six faults in about 50 yards 

 Along this outcrop the easterly beds are shifted to the north, or 

 in other words, the downthrow is to the south-west. "VVe thus 

 have displayed a beautiful series of step faults. In one place on 

 the curve however, the band between two faults has gone out 

 into deep water, and although the tide was low we could not find 

 any trace of the band in situ. Actual measurement showed a 

 lateral displacement of over 30 feet while the loose blocks in the 

 water, which stopped further measurement, showed the direction 

 in which displacement had taken place. 



The clay above and below the band is full of nodules of iron 

 pjrrites. In places slight hollows on the beach are full of loose 

 pieces washed out, and covered with a crust of limonite. Occas- 

 ionally, below the band the pyrites has oxidized in situ, and has 

 stained the clay yellow. This decomposition is however more 

 frequent in the clay overlying the band and the general tint is 

 consequently of a lighter hue. 



