330 GEOLOGY OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT. 



rows are deep, denoting that the water was much 

 agitated, and the ripple strong ; in other instances 

 the undulations are shallow, and intersected by 

 cross-ripples, indicating a change in the direction 

 of the waves. Some slabs are covered by slightly 

 elevated, broad ridges of sand, made up of gentle 

 risings disposed in a crescent shape ; these have 

 been produced by rills flowing into the river, 

 during the recession of the tide. The rippled 

 surfaces often bear traces of the trails of mol- 

 lusca, and annelides, and in some strata, im- 

 prints of the claws of crustaceans, of the pectoral 

 fins of certain fishes, and of feet of reptiles have 

 been observed.* But I have never detected un- 

 equivocal evidence of footmarks of any kind in 

 the Wealden strata. Impressions of vegetables, 

 several of which appear to have been produced by 

 grasses, were abundant on some recently exposed 

 slabs near Brook Point, on my late visit ; the 

 vegetable matter had evidently been changed to 

 carbon, which was in a great measure washed 

 away, but enough remained to point out the 

 origin of the markings. 1 have observed similar 

 appearances on slabs of sandstones and clays 

 lying on the embankments of the recently con- 

 structed Tonbridge Wells Railway. 



* Set Dr. Buckland's Bridgewater Essay. 



