PREFACE. 



More than ten years have elapsed since the former edition 

 of this book was pubHshed ; in the meanwhile, such large 

 accessions have been made to our knowledge of English 

 and Welsh Geology, that the work has long stood in need 

 of revision. Prompted by the kindly reception of his first 

 attempt, the writer has devoted his leisure during the 

 interval to the preparation of this new edition ; but the 

 endeavour to make it a worthy successor has occupied far 

 more time than was anticipated, and its publication has 

 therefore been delayed. 



The original plan of the book has not been altered, but 

 the volume has attained a larger size, owing to the many 

 additions, necessary to do justice to the subject. Nor is 

 this increase surprising when it is remembered that, sixty- 

 five years ago, the excellent and in great measure original 

 "Outlines of the Geology of England and Wales," by 

 Conybeare and Phillips, filled 531 pages; and only the first 

 part of that work was published. 



The aim of the present work is to afford a book of 

 reference, useful not only to students of the scientific 

 aspects of the subject, but also to engineers and others 

 interested in its practical applications. Thus the volume 

 contains an account of the lithological characters, leading 

 fossils, and economic products of the Stratified rocks, with 



