HAMSTEAD BEDS. 203 



variable that it would need a large number of" borings a few yards 

 apart to follow it. However, the boundary on the map is correct 

 within a chain or two. 



North-west of Duxmore Farm a number of borings (B.H. 126 

 to 140) was made, but though most of them evidently cut the 

 lower pnrt of the Harastead Series, none happened to yield 

 characteristic fossils. Still further north a boring (B.H. 143) in 

 the bed of the stream reached the Black Band after passing 

 through clays with Paludina. A fragment of a dicotyledonous 

 leaf was brought up by the auger from this boring. Close to 

 Little Duxmore similar beds were found (B.H. 146), but the dip 

 is evidently high. Strata apparently of the same age as those just 

 mentioned occur near West Ashey (B.H. 149) and East Ashey 

 (B.H. 150), but the only fossils obtained were Paludina. At the 

 junction of the road to N unwell with the road to Brading the 

 Black Band was again found (B.H. 154). This brings us to 

 the point where the dip decreases and the boundary curves to the 

 north. 



There now only remain to be described the higher portions of 

 the Harastead Series in the East Medina. It has already been 

 pointed out that tlie White Band seems to die out east of Parkhurst 

 Forest, and that on or about the same horizon a bed of fine sand 

 appears in the East Medina. This sand is so useful as fixing a 

 definite horizon in a mass of clay, and also as a water-bcciring bed, 

 thnt wherever it could be traced it has been laid down on the 

 map. It seems to form an obscure feature above Cross Lane 

 (about half a mile north-east of Newport), but is apparentlv thin 

 at that place. As this feature is traced to the south-east it 

 becomes bolder, and the springs given out along its course make 

 a belt of wet land near Heathfield and Buckbury, but no section 

 is visible. Between Buckbury and Little Pan the sand seems 

 suddenly to have expanded to a thickness of about 40 feet, for 

 three boringg (B.H. 112, 113, 114) at different levels were all in 

 this bed, and another lower do'.\n (B.H. 103) also showed trace of 

 it. A pit at Staplers Brickyard affords the only open section of 

 these beds in the neighbourhood. It shows alternations of loam, 

 fine sand, and shaly clay, the only fossils being casts of freshwater 

 shells, principally Paludina and LinmcBa, and also some casts of 

 cyprids. 



The same sand bed can be traced along Long Lane, till at 

 Longlane Shute it approaches closely to the Downs. It is evident 

 that at this spot the sharp monoclinal curve affects all the strata 

 up to the middle part of the Hamstead Series, The high dip, 

 however, dies away so suddenly that the beds flatten imme- 

 diately and the sand can be traced for a long distance northward 

 with only a gentle dip. Near Blackland the sand has sunk to 

 near the stream level, but it re-appears in the cutting at Wootton 

 Station, and also at several points on the eastern side of the 

 gravel ridge. 



Near Briddlesford two pits have been dug in sand, the one in 

 the hollow showing at least 10 feet of verv fine white sand and 



