^826.], On the Classification oftTie Strata, ^c. 339 



Article V. 



On the Classijicatian of the Strata which appear on the Yorkshire 

 Coast. By the Rev. A. Sedgwick, FRS. Professor of Geology 

 '\_ in the University of Cambridge. 



(To the Editors of the Annals of Philosophy .) 



GENTLEMEN, Feb. 20, 1826. 



The following remarks on the classification of the strata 

 which appear on the Yorkshire coast, are principally compiled 

 from memoranda which I made dming an excursion to that part 

 of our island in the year 1821. It was at first my intention to 

 examine in detail all the natural sections which are exhibited 

 between Flamborough Head and HuntclifF; and afterwards to 

 trace, as far as I could, the more characteristic beds through 

 the Hambleton hills, the Vale of Pickering, and other places in 

 the interior of the district. I had, however, hardly commenced 

 the excursion, when I found that Messrs. Young and Bird, of 

 Whitby, had nearly completed a work devoted to an illustration 

 of the geological structure of the north-eastern parts of York- 

 shire. This information induced me to shorten the task which 

 I had proposed to myself, and to confine my observations to the 

 immediate neighbourhood of the coast. I have thought it right 

 to state thus much respecting the materials from which the fol- 

 lowing remarks are compiled : otherwise the reader might sup- 

 pose them the result of a more elaborate examination of the 

 district, and on that account be disposed to give them more 

 importance than they in truth deserve. 



The work to which I have alluded appeared in the year 1822 ; 

 and, with many excellent details, gives a history of the structure 

 of the whole Yorkshire coast. No attempt is, however, made in 

 it to connect the phenomena which are so well described, with 

 the corresponding phenomena which are presented in other parts 

 of England. 1 venture to hope, that the following observations 

 (which I have drawn up for insertion in the Annals of Philosophy) 

 will, in some measure, contribute to supply this deficiency, or at 

 least be the means of callins: the attention of those who have 

 better opportunities of local information to the same subject. 

 I have the honour to be. Gentlemen, 



Your most faithful servant, 



A.Sedgwick. 



Sect. 1. — Difficulties in classifying the Strata of the Yorkshire 



Coast. 



In examining the structure of the Yorkshire coast, we fortu- 

 nately meet with no difficulty in determining the true relation 

 which the great mineral masses bear to each other. For the 



z2 



