122 James Saunders — Geology of S. Bedfordshire. 



The Chalk Rock in the cutting previously referred to is one of 

 the richest stations for fossils in this district. The Brachiopods 

 and Echinoderms are always well preserved, but the more delicate 

 shells of the univalves have perished almost without exception, 

 leaving excellent casts of their external ornamentation, and a spiral 

 mould of their interior. The Cephalopoda have also experienced 

 a similar decay, and when broken show the divisions of their 

 chambers, sometimes exhibiting also a cast of the siphuncle. The 

 general facies of the fossils indicates a closer affinity with those of 

 the Middle and Lower Chalk, than with those of the Upper Chalk. 



Overlying the Chalk Rock, and forming the upper portion of the 

 adjacent hills on each side of the valley, occurs the Upper Chalk, 

 with numerous flints. It is white, friable, rather soft, and traversed 

 by many joints, by which it separates into blocks of various sizes. 

 Flint is present both as nodules, and in thin seams. Occasionally 

 there are thin layers of a grey clay somewhat resembling fullers' 

 earth, which indicate the lines of bedding. 



Overlying the Chalk in many places may be observed drift sands 

 and gravels, and Boulder-clay. The drift is often exposed in digging 

 in the Luton Valley, and is to be seen also in the Leagrave and 

 Biscot pits. It contains many rolled fragments of Belemnites, and 

 both Gryplicea dilatata and incurva. A fine specimen of the latter 

 was obtained from the gravel at Hart Hill, Luton, the edges being 

 well preserved, it having been but little exposed to attrition. 



The fossils proper to the age in which the drift was deposited that 

 have been found near Luton are the scapula of a deer from the 

 ballast pit that formerly existed near the first mile-stone north of 

 Luton, and the tibia of a deer from the excavation for a cellar at the 

 bank of Messrs. Sharpies & Co., which was found lying about ten 

 feet from the surface. 



At the gravel pit near Biscot, Mr. Latchmore found a fine antler 

 of a deer about twenty-two inches in length, also the core of the 

 horn of Bos. 



The Boulder-clay exists as a surface deposit in many places round 

 Luton, as, for example, London Road Hill, and the People's Park. 

 Specimens of many of the typical boulders, both sandstone and 

 pudding-stone, may be seen in the immediate neighbourhood of 

 Luton. 



In connection with the surface deposits of South Bedfordshh'e, the 

 supposed discovery of gold at Pulloxhill deserves a brief notice. 

 The following particulars have been furnished by Mr. C. Crouch, 

 of Kitchin End near Pulloxhill, who has courteously placed them 

 at my disposal. Under date November 28th, 1889, Mr. Crouch 

 writes : — " The report of gold at Pulloxhill is due to a bed of sand 

 which may be traced from Pulloxhill Church in a north-easterly 

 direction to the Thrift Wood. This bed of sand contains an interesting 

 agglomerate. A specimen of this was submitted last summer by 

 Mr. Cameron to Mr. Rudler, of the Jermyn Street Museum. He 

 writes as follows : ' The rock containing the brilliant gold-suggesting 

 flashes is a highly micaceous sandstone, mainly consisting of crystal- 



