91 



on account ot" being sliglitly compressed lias an oval transverse- 

 section. M. f/lahra lias a wide range as to depth in the pre- 

 sent seas, and is very generally distributed. It is as old as 

 the Upper Lias, and frequently occurs in geological formations 

 of a later date. It is rare in the Hergott material, and none- 

 of the examples are perfect. 



Fulvinulina elegans, d'Orb. — There is but a single example- 

 of this pretty little shell recorded from Hergott. It is small 

 in size, and does not show such a strongly-made test as the 

 species often carries, and is probably a young example. The 

 species is common in the North xltlantic and South Pacific, and 

 also occurs in the Mediterranean. Its geological range dates 

 as far back as the Trias, and it is also known as a Liassic and 

 Tertiary form. It thrives best at moderate depths, from the 

 littoral zone down to 700 fathoms. 



Subsequent to the reading of this paper Mr. G. Goyder, jun,, 

 sent me a few micro, mounts selected from material taken 

 from about 200 feet depth in this boring, and from which I 

 have been able to determine the three following species as ad- 

 ditions to those described above : — 



Nodosaria radicula^ Linne. — This species is the most typical 

 of the NodomriiKB, has a wide distribution at the present day, 

 is common to both shallow and deep water, and is a common 

 fossil in many microzoic rocks, from the Permian downwards. 



Polymovphina lactea, Walker and Jacob. — Common in most 

 seas at present day, but especially the shallows of temperate 

 waters. It is not known much further south than the Cape of 

 Good Hope, and is fossil in Kimmeridge Clay and later. 



Vaginulina legumen, Linne. — A pod-like, slightly curved, com- 

 pressed Nodosarian, widely distributed in present times, and 

 dating from Trias. 



GEjS'ERAL COjS'SIDEKA.TIOXS. 



The section is remarkable for the uniformity of its strati- 

 graphical features. With the exception of a few feet at the 

 surface and a few feet at the base of the section, it is practi- 

 cally but one bed extending through a depth of 300 feet. 

 In its fresh condition it would have appeared as a bed of 

 dark mud. The homogeneous character of the sedimentary 

 matter, through so great a depth, implies that the physical con- 

 ditions which prevailed during its deposition were of a veiy 

 regular and persistent kind. Not only stones, but sand also,, 

 may be said to be absent from this great silt bed, as the grains 

 of quartz visible in most of the washings were so few as to be 

 almost inappreciable. It must have been a landlocked sea or 



