neighbourhood of Grantham. 263 



been more accurately investigated, and a careful comparison in- 

 stituted by competent persons between the Lower Oolites in the 

 northern, midland, and south-western portion of England *. 



Upper and Lower Lias. 



The Lias in its north-eastern course runs nearly parallel to 

 the lower division of the Oolites, from the Cornbrash to the In- 

 ferior Oolite inclusive; but while the latter diminish in breadth 

 towards the Humber, the former occupies a considerable area 

 from E. to W., though less expanded thereabouts than it is in 

 some of the midland counties, and in its course thence in a 

 south-westerly direction. Although, like other formations in 

 different and distant localities, this vaiies in extent and thickness, 

 it preserves, on the whole, a greater persistency and uniformity 

 of character throughout the whole world than any other deposit ; 

 so that groups of fossils and detailed sections, either from Ger- 

 many or Asia (the Himalayas for instance), are found to cor- 

 respond very closely with those in our own country. In a col- 

 lection of lias fossils from the Cape of Good Hope, exhibited at 

 the Geological Society in December last, I was struck with the 

 close resemblance which they bore to certain species with which 

 I was familiarly acquainted in this vale, although there were 

 some, as might be expected, which were new to me. 



The junction of the Inferior Oolite and Upper Lias shales may 

 be observed near Stamford, and many of the characteristic fossils 

 have been noticed. It also crops out at the base of some of the 

 numerous longitudinal valleys which traverse the oolitic district 

 round Grantham, and it may cap some of the hills on the north 

 of the town. In a short visit I was unable to examine this part 

 of the series more closely, but as these seem to be mainly com- 

 posed of the ferruginous beds underlying the marlstone, it is 

 probably of limited extent and thickness. These hills overlook 

 a low and extensive flat, occupied almost exclusively by the mid- 

 dle beds of the Lower Lias, so largely developed at the Leigh and 

 other spots throughout the Vale of Gloucester, and in no respects 

 differing from them. The soil is cold and wet, like all clay soils, 

 but the general aspect of the tract is most uninteresting, and by 

 no means equal to the rich and often picturesque valley through 

 which the Severn flows. The Vale of Belvoir, however, more to 

 the west, is a richer country, and the castle, which stands on oolitic, 

 well-wooded hills, commands a fine view over the lias and new 

 red sandstone in Nottinghamshire. In this neighbourhood the 



* Perhaps there is no locaUty in England where the Inferior Oolite may 

 be so well studied in detail, or where it is so extensively developed, as in the 

 outer escarpments of the Cotswolds. 



