mfome remarkable Strata of Flint. 105 



ftrata of ftone, at Eaft Cowes, and juft above a bed of black and 

 foliii clay, is a ftratum of fliells about two feet thick, of which a 

 fpecimcn accompanies this, and which is totally compofed of thefe 

 fliells without any admixture or earth whatever. As the fea makes 

 great inroads here, vafl: heaps of thefe fhells lie on the beach, and 

 fecm juft walhed up by the waves, inftead of being torn from their 

 bed in the cliff. They appear nearly in the fame ftate as thofe on the 

 Hamplliire coaft, which have long been famous among naturalifts. 

 In the bed at Eaft Cowes there appears however no variety; for I 

 could fee no fpecies but what are here exhibited. 



Whatever confufion in the ftrata appears to the north of the 

 chalk range, or in that range itfelf, difappears to the fouth of it 

 where the ftrata are nearly in a horizontal pofition, and fino-u- 

 larly regular and undifturbed. The fea coaft from Bembrldge fouth 

 to the Needles, except in the fmall extent of Sandown Marfli, is 

 every where higher than the immediately contiguous land of the 

 ifland, and to the fouth-eaft rifes into a vaft range of hills running 

 from Dunnofe weft to St. Catherine's. The fubftratum of thefe 

 hills feems every where to be clay lying in ftrata of different colour 

 and purity. The loweft is black and very hard; approaching to 

 fhale. Above this fome ftrata have a great mixture of fand, and 

 take the appearance of a foft ftone breaking into very regular 

 cubical forms. Thefe ftrata extend over the whole fouthcrn part 

 of the iftand, and terminate againft the chalk range very fuddenl}^ 

 Above the clay ftrata is a bed of ftone in thin layers, and of very 

 mingled materials, but in general very hard. Great quantities of 

 chert or flint nodules appear in this ftone. The general thicknefs 

 of the ftratum is from 150 to 200 feet. Above this the higheft 

 hills of the range have a ftratum of chalk, not pure or white as 

 that of the chalk range properly fo called, nor producing flint fo 

 black. 

 Vol. VI. P The 



