138 FIELD GEOLOGY. 



wrapped in paper, or stowed in chip-boxes, according 

 to their size and fragility. The small sponge-like 

 nodules are also taken for future examination with the 

 lens and microscope. 



In the marly or sandy chalk above we notice that but 

 few fossil remains occur; we extract, however, one or two 

 Belemnites, a few obscure Terebratulse, and fragments 

 of Inoceramus shell. These, though apparently worth- 

 less and not easily identified, should nevertheless be 

 kept, and their occurrence noted, since in other pits on 

 the same horizon better specimens may be obtained with 

 which these may be compared. 



If we are not able to name at once the species which 

 have thus been collected, we can leave spaces in the 

 note-book and fill in the names after consulting palrc- 

 ontological authorities. 



(6.) Passing down the road to the brickyard or gault- 

 pit, which was next examined, and searching over the 

 clay which is thrown aside, as well as in the vertical 

 cutting of the pit itself, we find that fossils are not un- 

 common. They mostly retain their shells or tests in 

 very fair condition, and only contain the dark mud or 

 gault in which they lie ; some, however, which we ob- 

 serve to occur mainly along one definite line or horizon, 

 are filled with iron pyrites or with impure phosphate of 

 lime, many of these being merely casts in one or other 

 of the above minerals. 



From the workmen we also buy what fossils they have 

 found and laid aside when digging the clay in the win- 

 ter ; these are generally only the finer and larger species, 

 while for the smaller and less conspicuous fossils we 

 must search the pit ourselves. We may note the fol- 



