1898] ALBIAN AND CENOMANIAN IN FRANCE 197 
one fauna at Le Mans, but then he also thought the Albian was not 
present at Havre, where it is now admitted to exist. In the same way 
it may be necessary to admit the existence of Albian at Le Mans. 
Now what does present itself at Le Mans? I will quote the 
words of Mr Dollfus: “ At Le Mans the base of the Cenomanian 
consists of sands containing Ostrea vesiculosa, Nautilus subelegans, 
Pecten asper, Ammonites inflatus, etc. These sands rest on Oxfordian 
beds with Rhynchonella varians, without the interposition of any beds 
belonging to the Lower Cretaceous; this lower limit is therefore 
very clearly marked, for it is based on a considerable stratigraphical 
break.” But what kind of break is here? There is no break in 
the Cretaceous series, only an incomplete condition, from the absence 
of everything below a certain horizon in the series. | 
It is this very break or hiatus which is a source of difficulty, 
for, if the succession in the Sarthe had been complete, I do not think 
this discussion about the base of the Cenomanian would ever have 
arisen. French geologists have hitherto taken for granted that 
everything at Le Mans must be Cenomanian down to the local 
base. It is this to which I object: this assertion must be proved, 
not taken for granted. My position is this, that the delimitation 
of the Cenomanian cannot logically or properly be settled in La 
Sarthe. Its upper limit can be determined there because both 
Cenomanian and Turonian are fully developed; but its lower limit 
eannot be determined there; this must be done in some other 
region where both Albian and Cenomanian are fully represented. 
I do not ask my French confreves to come to England for the 
decision of this question, nor do I ask them to accept a new name : 
I recognise that it is primarily a French business, and I will accept. 
the evidence of the French strata. But I do say this, that the 
matter must be judged by the evidence of the fossils found in the 
region which is selected for trial, and that the fossils of La Sarthe 
must be left out of the account while the comparison is being made - 
between the fauna of the zone of A. inflatus with the faunas of the 
beds above and below it. 
Where then in France should this comparison be made? Not 
at Havre where the Albian is little developed; not in the Pays de 
Bray where fossils are rare in the Gaize. It is to the east of 
France that Mr Dollfus himself appeals on this point, maintaining that 
the fauna of the zone of A. inflatus at Wissant and in the Gaize de 
lArgonne is so different from that of the zone of A. interruptus, that 
it must be grouped with Cenomanian, not with the Albian. I accept 
this test, but I do not come to the same conclusion. 
Let us take first the Gaize de PArgonne. Mr Dollfus says that 
the list published by Mr Barrois shows that 51 species are Albian 
(Gault Inférieur) and that 70 are Cenomanian; but the latter figure is 
