397 



Hungary, to revert to the Cotteswold is rather an abrupt transi- 

 tion, but now a brief review of the points of comparison will have 

 its place. The group of organic forms disclosed by the Gloucester- 

 shire Zone of Am. Spinatus, corresponds, and is in unison with, 

 the same phase of life, and is on the same level with the 

 capping strata of the Middle Lias wherever it was deposed 

 quietly and under normal conditions ; whether in the distant 

 Isles of the North sea — in the broad belt that slopes across 

 England — throughout the anglo-French and the Rhone basins — 

 along the banks of the Danube — in the Suabian and Franconian 

 Jura, or in other links of connection wherever these deposits 

 can be observed, they speak of the Liassic sea in space and in 

 time, as of a definite and special biological manifestation. And 

 though it may be alleged that we have selected isolated facts, 

 and dwelt more on resemblances than differences ; yet the very 

 title of our paper would contravene the assertion ; for it would 

 be iucorrect to speak of the Lias of Churchdown and the 

 Cotteswolds as a selected locality wherewith to work out the 

 problem. The intimate opportunity of observing the geology of 

 Gloucestershire arose from the simple accident of my residing 

 near to the exposure there of the Middle Lias, and so of enjoying 

 more frequent opportunity of studying these records of past life, 

 and of correlating them with distant strata. This statement 

 disposes of the imputation of selected facts; and as to its isolation, 

 this is an equally idle assertion : for that the Gloucestershire 

 Middle Lias can be followed step by step in its Northerly exten- 

 sion has been already shown : and for its range southward, the 

 Cotteswold Lias can be traced hence along the patches and 

 fragments of the Mendip Hills to the Somerset district ; and to 

 the South West coast-line between Charmouth and Bridport; 

 and thence in directions on the Continent of Europe that we 

 need not reiterate : so that instead of isolation, there is positive 

 continuity; and for study there is no selection of particular 

 points — no suppression of unfavourable examples; we appeal for 

 criteria of the truth, rather to the undisturbed and quietly deposed 

 sediments of the Liassic sea, and where these are found, they 

 support the view here taken ; not, on the contrary, to examples 



