VOL. XVIII. (i) EXCURSION— THORNBURY AND AUST 



27 



Aust, and the Members alighted to see lying, shining in front of them, 

 the waters of the Bristol Channel. From the end of the old stone pier they 

 looked northward across stream, and saw from north to south the hills at the 

 southern end of tlie Forest of Dean, Tidenham Chase, Sedbury Cliff (the 

 complement of Aust Cliff), the Beachley Peninsula with the dark Wyndclifif 

 beyond. Out in the stream was the historic rock with St. Tecla's little 

 chapel thereon ; and further south, on the opposite bank, one of the pump- 

 ing stations for the Severn Tunnel. Portishcad Hill stood out boldly, and 

 the position of the Avonmouth Docks was indicated. Turning towards the 

 cliff, Mr Richardson said that the section there displayed was one of the 

 most famous in the country. It showed, in ascending order, the Red and 

 Tea-green Marls of the Kcuper, the black shales and associated hard bands 

 of the Lower Rhrctic, the greenish marls of the ypper Rha?tic, with the 

 basement limestones of the Lower Lias on the top. The most notable bed 

 in the section was the Bone-Bed, whence Higgins obtained such a number of 



Photo. S. H. Reynolds. 



Fig. I.— Step-fault, Aust CUff. 



Cevatodus teeth. A beautiful " step fault " was pointed out (tig. i), and the 

 only regret was that the Members had not a longer time to spend in this 

 pleasant spot. 



