152 GEOLOGY OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT. 



typical beds of the Osborne Series, those on the western side of 

 the lawn belonging to the lower or Nettlestone division, whilst 

 eastwards we find the members of the higher or St. Helen's group. 

 The Osborne section is peculiarly interesting for the link that it 

 affords between the very different aspects of these beds at Cliff 

 End as compared with those at St. Helen's." 



A section in red and mottled clays of the Osborne Series is seen 

 in the East Cowes Park Brick -yard. Here J. Rhodes obtained 

 Char a, impressions of plants, casts of Limnaa, Fish vertebrae, 

 scales of Lcpidostcns, Chclone, Trionyx, Crocodile, and the 

 astragalus of a small mammal. 



During May of the present year (1888) the Osborne Beds near 

 Ryde were re-examined, under the guidance of Mr. Colenutt, who 

 has paid special attention to this division. The principal point of 

 interest was the occurrence of a bed of clay in which are multi- 

 tudes of small fish {Clu])ea vectensis), evidently suddenly killed 

 and buried before they had time to decay. The thin seam in 

 which these occur is difficult to find, but such has been the 

 minuteness of Mr. Colenutt's examination that he has been able to 

 trace it from King's Quay, near Osborne, to Sea View.* 



The first locality at which these fish were discovered was near 

 Ryde House, but during this visit the section was obscured at that 

 point, though another one was measured close to King's Quay. 

 Here the cliff is so obscured by landslips and so much overgrown, 

 that the exact position of the Bembridge Limestone cannot be fixed, 

 and only the beds on the foreshore can be well seen. Though the 

 measurements are only approximate, the changes of character and 

 colour of the different clays are sufficiently marked to enable the 

 different beds to be recognised. The fish-bed is generally just 

 below the level of high-water, and being slightly harder than the 

 other clays it often projects through the beach. 



Section east of King's Quay (measured with the assistance of 

 Mr. Colenutt). 



Feet, 

 Bembridge Limestone. 



Red and mottled clay (only seen in landslips) - - - About 40 



Green clay, with scattered fish bones. Scales and vertebrae of 



Lepidosteus abundant, Alligator, Emys, Trionyx, and Chelone, 



Theridomys and snake vertebra - - - . . About 4 



Hard grey shaly clay, full of fish bones, and whole fish [Clupea 2 



vectensis) ....... 2 



Similar clay with grass-like leaves and lenticular masses of cement 



stones ----.-.. 3 



Blue clay, with abundance of moUusca. Paludina lenta, Melanopsis 



carinata, &c. ..-.-.- 6 



Unfossiliferous green clay, to low water. 



55 



* 8ee Geol. Mug., dec. III., vol. v. p. 358. (Aug. 1888.) The fish, which is new 

 to science, has recently been described by E. T. Newton under the name Clupea 

 vtctentit. See Quart. Journ. Geol. Sac, vol, xlv. p. 112. (Feb. 1889.) 



