VOL. XVII. (3) MAP OF CHELTENHAM 299 



In some places, as in the " sand-hole " at the Battledown 

 Brick Works (Plate xxxv., fig. i), the yellow sand is singularly 

 free from gravel ; but, in others, as in the sand-pit near the 

 Laundry, Charlton Kings (Plate xxxvi.) there is a considerable 

 amount of well-rolled and almost bleached-looking gravel 

 present (Plate xxxv., fig. 2). This gravel is formed of pieces 

 of Inferior-Oolite and Upper-Lias limestones and along with 

 it are numerous fossils that have been derived from these 

 rocks. 



Since the yellow sand was laid down removal of a consider- 

 able amount of that deposit has been effected — principally by 

 the River Chelt and its tributaries. This sand obviously once 

 extended over the now essentially clay-area in the immediate 

 neighbourhood of the Malvern-Road Station, and its scattered 

 grains amongst the gravel exposed in the cutting near Chest- 

 nut Farm (number 3 on the map) show that there also it once 

 overlaid the gravel. But now it has been removed from con- 

 siderable areas and the Chelt has hollowed out of it for itself 

 a broad channel, which it has subsequently largely filled up : 

 first, mainly with gravel, bog and loam, and later with alluvial 

 matter — sometimes rather sandy, but generally clayey. 



Lower Lias. — The Lias clays, as already mentioned, are 

 usually blue ; but near the surface are sometimes of a dirty- 

 yellow colour. In this district they contain few limestone- 

 nodules, except at one horizon, namely, the upper part of the 

 Striatus-Beds and no limestone-beds with the exception of the 

 two impure bands in the Capricornus-Zone, which zone par- 

 ticipates in the formation of Battledown Hill, but is not seen 

 in any opening at the present time. 



As is well-known the Lias admits of division into a number 

 of zones, each zone being characterized by a particular am- 

 monite which gives its name to the zone.' The details given 

 I below concerning certain exposures of the Lias may be of 

 interest to some geologists : 



I. In the railway-cutting clays belonging to the Rarico status- and 

 Armatus-Zones were exposed. 



I For a complete list of the Liassic zones see the author's " Handbook to the Geology of 

 Cheltenham" (1904), or Prof. S. H. Reynolds'" Geological Excursion Handbook to the Bristol 

 District" (1912), Table H. 



fW 



