38 



Mr. Webster's Reply to Dr. Fitton. 



[Jan. 



beds of ferruginous sands and clays, which, having examined 

 them not only in the Isle of Wight, but through an extensive 

 tract in Dorsetshire, I found so connected together, that I was 

 not then able to separate them from each other through the 

 whole of that distance. The term ferrugi.»ious appeared to me 

 not inaptly applied, on the first view of the subject, since the 

 beds both above and beloiv the weald clay contain in many parts 

 a very large quantity of iron ore ; and they have both, by one 

 author or other, been called the J'errugiiioiis sand. The princi- 

 ples for the classification of beds, even in the present day, are 

 not determined ; and hence, in a great measure, the various 

 opinions with respect to where the lines of, the separation of 

 groups should be drawn. At that time, when still less was known, 

 it cannot be extraordinary that I should have been led to group 

 together a set of beds possessing a common feature so remark- 

 able. 



The following table will exhibit my arrangement of these beds 

 in the south-east of England, together with the view which Mr. 

 Conybeare took of the same subject : 



To show, ;n part, the evidence from which I have deduced the 

 order and arrangement of the strata, I have represented in Plate 

 XXXV, fig. 1, a section across the counties of Surrey and Sussex, 

 from Merstham to Hastings. Fig. 2 is a section taken from the 

 top of St, Catherine's Dov.'n, Isle of Wight, to the bottom of 

 Black Gang Chine ; and fig. 3 exhibits a very satisfactory and 

 instructive section which is seen on the north side of Sandown 



