OOLITIC CLIFFS. 77 



Like the chalk under which it sinks, the Speeton clay dips south- 

 ward. It is exposed in the broken cliff to an elevation of two hundred 

 feet, and I had once, (1826,) in a particular condition of the tides, an 

 opportunity of seeing some harder beds than common, with compressed 

 ammonites at low-water mark. Some remarkable contortions of the 

 clay, which appear on the shore towards its northern termination, are 

 represented in one of the detached sections. It is covered, even where 

 highest, by a great quantity of diluvial clay and pebbles ; and as we 

 proceed northward, it sinks continually, and in less than a mile from its 

 first appearance, is lost below the level of the sea. The cliffs which 

 succeed as far as Filey, are much varied and broken, and consist of 

 diluvial clay and pebbles ; but blue clay, containing belemnites, shews in 

 one or two places, as drawn in the section. On approaching Filey, we 

 observe on the cliff top, seventy-eight feet high, a small lacustrine de- 

 posit, which occupies about one quarter of an acre. It consists of light 

 blue clay, peaty clay, blue clay, white clay, and peat, altogether four 

 feet thick, upon sand and gravel. 



It deserves remark, that the diluvial clay north of Flamborough 

 head is decidedly of a redder colour than that which is found in Hol- 

 derness. This circumstance is very evident in Filey bay, where the 

 cliffs afford few other subjects of observation, till at the northern pro- 

 montory the oolitic rocks emerge from the sea, and form the long reef 

 called Filey Brig. 



CLIFFS OF THE OOLITIC SERIES. 



THAT at some former period the strata which emerge from beneath 

 the vale of Pickering, in ridges sloping to the south, but precipitous 

 toward the north, have had their surfaces exposed to the ravages of 

 water, is evident by inspecting the cliff above Filey brig. For here the 

 diluvial clay, rising to the height of one hundred and six' feet, rests upon 

 the lower beds of coralline oolite, which immediately cover the lower 



