780 ; REPORT—1896, 
rock in the museum of University College. The slab also has a profusion of the 
prints attributed to the Rhynchosaurus. ‘The author has lately been endeavouring 
to classify under certain types the more common forms for the sake of facilitating 
reference ; the results are given in his paper lately published.t_ Any one interested 
in the subject can see numerous examples in Liverpool Museum or at University 
College. But perhaps the most interesting collection is that at the Bootle Free 
Museum, where what are probably the type specimens described some sixty years 
ago are carefully preserved and well exhibited. 
3. Recent Borings in the Red Marl, near Liverpool. 
By G. H. Morron, /.GS. 
Boring in the Red Marl near Altcar, North of Liverpool. 
During the years 1890-92 an important boring was made in the Red Marl, 
rather under a mile N.N.E, of Altcar, and nearly two miles east from Formby 
Station. Previous to 1890 the formation was supposed not to exceed 400 feet in 
thickness, the amount proved at Birkdale many years ago. The following is a 
section of the strata passed through, condensed from details for which I am 
indebted to Mr. E. Fidler, who was connected with the undertaking. 
Feet Inches 
Peat : : : : : e 2 . : a : 5 0 
Loam and sand F é é - 3 5 . y 1268 6 
Boulder clay . : : : 5 ; : > - - 16 0 
Sand and marl 4 4 é ; : - : 3 Z 8 6 
Red Marl : = 4 : é * : : : iD 0 
Keuper Sandstone . : : : : : - . 2 «62 0 
1,091 0O 
The diamond boring machine was used, and the diameter of the bore-hole was 
13 inches near the surface, 7 and 6 inches through most of the Red Marl, ang 
5 inches in the Keuper Sandstone. The dip of the strata was supposed to be & 
few degrees to the north-east, as determined by the cores brought up. The marl 
separated with thin laminz, and the surfaces were often covered with pseudo- 
morphic crystals of chloride of sodium from an eighth to an inch across, and they 
were most numerous in the middle and lowest beds, There were many seams of 
gypsum, which varied in thickness from a quarter of an inch to 3 or 4 inches, and 
a few diagonal cracks filled with the same mineral traversed the beds, and often 
contained fragments of marl and presented a brecciated appearance, The surfaces 
of the cores of gypsum exhibited pseudomorphs like those on the marl. Most of 
the marl was red, but sometimes a greenish grey, and the lower beds contained 
the tracks of annelids, which have been found on the same horizon in several 
other places in Lancashire and Cheshire. The Keuper Sandstone below the Red 
Marl was red and grey in colour, and there was an abrupt change from one 
formation to the other without any transitional strata between. 
The object of the boring was to find brine or rock-salt, but it was unsuc- 
cessful, and the attempt was made in consequence of a tradition that prevails in 
the neighbourhood that salt water occurs below the surface. Mr. J. Dickinson, 
F.G.S., in his Parliamentary Report on ‘The Salt Districts,’ refers to a brine 
spring mentioned by Dr. Browning, and Baines, in his ‘ History of Lancashire,’ 
states that it ‘contained as much sait as that at Northwich.’ Mr, Fidler in- 
formed me that, though salt water has been frequently found near the surface 
in various places in the district, fresh water was found on penetrating to a 
greater depth. 
I am inclined to think that the salt water found about the surface of the 
country is in consequence of frequent floods from the sea in former years and 
the deposit of spray during storms. The wind carries the fine spray for many 
' Troc, Liv. Geol. Soc., 1896. 
