209 



The position of the bed is a singular one, the ground falling away 

 considerably towards the Slade Valley on the one side, and towards 

 Horn's Valley on the other, forming an elevated spur, somewhat rounded 

 on its summit, with a deep valley on either side. The position of the 

 shelly bed is at the end of the spur, where it joins the general elevated 

 land of the district. Its elevation above the sea level is about 650 feet, 

 and that of the summit of the bill about 750 feet. 



The formation on which the bed is deposited is Clay, derived from the 

 Fullers-earth into which it passes downwards, and above, on the hill, is 

 the western edge of the Stonesfield Slate. In the Fullers-earth, about 

 50 yards higher up the hill than the shelly bed, is a line of small springs, 

 extending along the hill side to a considerable distance. These springs 

 issue beneath a steep slope, forming the upper escarpment of the hill ; 

 and below the shelly bed some 80 yards, is a second escarpment, formed 

 by the Rags tone beds of the Inferior Oolite. 



In suggesting any explanation of the formation of this shelly bed, it 

 may be in place to notice the various changes which the surface of the 

 slope appears to have undergone. Thus we have first the original 

 surface of Fullers-earth converted into workable clay, or brick-earth. 

 Overlying this is the shelly bed, upon which is recent mould, inter- 

 mixed with debris of the upper beds of the Fullers-earth, which 

 have evidently slipped from their proper position, the point of contact 

 with the shelly bed being distinctly shown throughout the excavation, 

 the one never having become intermixed with the other. 



The formation of the Clay was not the result of any great amount of dis- 

 integrating action, or it would be found to contain traces of the constituent 

 parts of the beds forming the higher ground, which is not the case. The 

 sheUy bed is in immediate contact with the Clay, there being no trace of any 

 intermediate deposit except the flat stones before referred to. These stones 

 may have been carried down the slope from the higher beds by means 

 of land-sUps, and the finer or lighter particles having been washed away, 

 the stones would be left scattered upon the surface, afterwards to become 

 mixed with the shelly deposit as it accumulated. 



To the same agency also, that of water and land-slips, the shelly bed 

 itself may perhaps owe its origin. Indeed, it is difficult to account for 

 its existence otherwise than upon the assumption that it took place in 

 still water. It is in some places a mere sediment compressed by the 

 overlying earth, and the slope on which it rests being at an incline of 

 13 degi-ees, the smallest running stream would inevitably have carried it 

 &rther down the hill, where the surface is comparatively level, and not 



