36 Mr. Webster's RepI)/ to Dr. Fitton. [Jan. 



Ije set.u ill the chapter " On the Beds between the Chalk and 



the Oolites," p. 150, is as follows : 



" Having thus traced these Ibrmations uninterruptedly from 

 the coast into Surrey, it will be our next object to describe their " 

 appearance on the east of that county, near Merstham and 

 Rt'i;2ute ; and this we shall do somewhat more minutely, since, 

 on ihe ground above stated, — namely, the continuous course of 

 each formation from the coast, we feel ourselves compelled to 

 dissent from the opinions advanced by a writer of whose eminent 

 services to English geology one estimate only can be formed ; 

 and who, I'rom the inspection of this single spot, has pronounced 

 thajireaione beds, wliich we assian to the cha/k marl formation, 

 to belong to that of the green sand, and the range which we con- 

 sider as tlie true green sand, to be iron sand." This is followed 

 by many details respecting these beds, from observations made 

 by Mr. Phillips and himself, who, throughout their work, con- 

 tinue to enijjloy the terms green and iron sand according to their 

 own views as expressed above. 



The paragraph by Mr. Conybeare, just quoted, was written in 

 consequence of a paper which I had, a short time before, read 

 before the Geological Society, " On the Geognostic Situation 

 of the Roigate Stone." I there endeavoured to show, that the 

 section of the country from Merstham to Nutfield is analogous 

 to that of the beds below the chalk in the Isle of Wi"ht: statiuLL- 

 that the Reigate stone agreed with the Underclitij and that the 

 sand oi" Nutheld and Redhill below the fuller's earth pits w as the 

 ferruginous or iron sand. 



The object of this paper was not to go into a close compari- 

 son between the beds in. the two places ; but any one who will 

 consider with attention the table which I originally formed of 

 these strata, in the work of Sir H. Engletield, and the following 

 jnissage fiom my paper on the Riegate stone, may easily perceive 

 what was my opinion on tiiis subject: — 



. " On putting together aU these circumstances, viz. the nature 

 111' the Reigate hrestone, and its subordinate beds of chert and 

 hard rag, its situation below the chalk marl and above the ferru- 

 ginous sand; and comparing it with the nature and situation of 

 the green sandstone in other places, for instance, at the Under- 

 clitt'in the Isle of Wight ; the identity of these formations appciars 

 t'; me as evident as any with which I am arijuainted ; and what- 

 ever anomalies there may be in the history of the English strata, 

 \('t here, at least, no difficulty presents itself, but only such 

 slight difterences as eveiy nevv' locality exhibits." 



in order that your readers may feel some interest in this ques- 

 tion, which is really extremely (lurious in its nature, as well as 

 important in English geology, I must ex(.)lain, that the terms 

 true green sand and iron sand, as used by Mr. Conybeare and 

 myself, ace intiMided no! nn'iclu i/iiii('ra/<>'j:ica//i/, or as expressive 



