122 FOSSILS OF BOGNOR. 
In the ‘Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society’ for 1847, Joseph 
Prestwich, jun., Esq., has communicated a very interesting and scientific paper 
on the Eocene formations of London and Hampshire (including also Brackles- 
ham Bay), and their probable relations with those in the vicinity of Paris. This 
is what many years ago [ had anticipated might be the result of accurate local 
descriptions, and at page 22 of this work the same hope is expressed. I do not 
at present think the Eocene strata of our own country and those of foreign 
localities sufficiently explored to establish correct opinions. The French geolo- 
gists have drawn their conclusions too much from their own neighbourhood, 
though the formations in the vicinity of Paris are not so disturbed and dislo- 
cated as those of England, which, as Mr. Lyell has truly observed, are almost 
exclusively of mechanical origin. I have taken this extensive view of the sub- 
ject, as many new localities of the Eocene period have been lately discovered 
in Europe and America, and are now undergoing very careful examination. I 
agree with Mr. Prestwich in many of his remarks as to the relations of our de- 
posits with those near Paris, and particularly with his observations on Barton. 
The beds at Bracklesham vary exceedingly, and are much disturbed. Mr. 
Prestwich has considered the Bracklesham sands as synchronous with those of 
Bagshot, which may be correct; but the true London clay, with its fossils 
(Nautili and other Cephalopoda), is here extensively developed; and Palion- 
tologists must bear this in mind in examining the contents of this interesting 
locality. Many fishes are found also similar to those of Sheppy, though by far 
the greatest number of shells belong to the calcaire grossier deposits of France 
which have been noticed many years ago. I subjoin Mr. Prestwich’s very valu- 
able tables, which show at one view the distribution of species in several districts 
of England, as far as they have yet been published. 
The shells at Bognor are sometimes converted either wholly or in part into 
crystallized carbonate of lime, giving them a beautiful appearance, and occa- 
sionally they are covered with most brilliant cubic crystals of sulphuret of iron. 
Teredines and the chambers of the Nautilus occur in this latter state; and 
Nautili, when divided through the centre, often exhibit the chambers and 
siphuncle in the most perfect preservation. 
Many of the Bognor fossils occur at White Cliff and Alum Bay in the Isle of 
Wight, and also at Southampton. Mr, Prestwich mentions that a similar series 
has been discovered at Clarendon Hill near Salisbury, and there can be no doubt 
that in many other parts of England the shells are of the same species as those 
