10 



With the shells has been found the bone of a 

 small Sepia (or cuttle fish). The fossils of the clay 

 generally serve as nuclei to irregular nodules of 

 iron pyrites, and the substance of the fossils is 

 frequently converted into hydrated peroxide of iron. " 



To the Blue Clay succeed five beds which Captain 

 Spratt groups under the name of Freestone and 

 Dr. Adams under that of Calcareous Sandstone, 

 with a depth of 200 feet. This formation occupies 

 fully one half of the surface of both islands, and 

 iu Malta its district would be portioned off by a 

 line running about N. through Citta Vecchia. 



" The clay passes into a white calcareous 

 sandstone (D) from 20 to 30 feet thick, and below 

 this is a blueish-grey or fawn coloured marl (E) about 

 20 feet thick. These two deposits contain several 

 species of microscopic chambered shells. " 



" Next are found from 20 to 30 feet of a 

 pale yellow or white calcareous freestone (F) sep- 

 arable into thin strata. It contains nodules of flint, 

 and the fossils of this bed are found in a silicified 

 state on the N. W. side of the Bengemma hills. " 



" This stone is sometimes used for building, 

 but it exfoliates by exposure to the weather, and 

 more particularly when acted on by the sea. It 

 contains a Scalaria and other forms. " 



" Below the upper bed of Freestone is a bed, 

 from 2 to 8 feet thick of Calcareous Sandstone (G) 

 of a pale chocolate colour and flinty hardness which 



