310 MINERALOGY OF THE SOUTH OP ENGLAND. 



the Isle of Sheppey, and several other places. Other 

 bones of ruminating animals, as those of the horse, ox, 

 and stag, not different from the living species, are fre- 

 quently dug up at small depths, and are covered by peat, 

 gravel, loam, &c. Similar organic remains occur in the 

 alluvial strata, over the new floetz rocks around Paris. 



The following tabular view of the upper formations in 

 the southeast of England, will convey to the reader a 

 distinct conception of the new formations just enume- 

 rated, and also of several of those immediately below 

 them.* 



1. Alluvial. 



The debris of previously existing strata, formed either 

 by the present existing causes, or by others that have 

 acted at an early period. The substances are principally 

 water- worn fragments of flints, mixed with sand and clay 

 in various proportions. 



2. Upper Fresh Water Formation. 

 This, in the Isle of Wight, consists of a limestone 

 containing numerous imbedded fresh water shells. It 

 agrees in several of its characters with the correspond- 

 ing formation in the basin of Paris, and other parts of 

 the continent of Europe. Traces of a fresh water forma- 

 tion are also to be observed in the London basin, be- 

 tween the alluvium and the London clay, consisting of 

 marl with fresh water shells, and containing also nume- 

 rous bones of land animals, as the elephant, hippopota- 

 mus, buffalo, elk, ox, &c. These have been chiefly 

 found at Sheppey, Brentford, Essex, Suffolk, and Nor- 



* See Webster, in Sir H. Englefield's interesting and valuable work 

 on the Isle of Wight. 



