IF. II. Hudleston — Creechharrow in Parheclc. 247 



of an autochthonous deposit of limestone on the hill itself. When 

 the calcareous talus was penetrated in this section, we found the 

 solid geology to consist of a peculiar cakey sand, passing down into 

 buflf-coloured sands with vertical tubes having a calcai'eous lining. 

 Underneath this was an irregular layer of flints, some of great size, 

 about a foot thick, and lower still loose white sand, preceded by 

 yellow sandy clay blotched with oxide of manganese and containing 

 perished flints. 



So far as I know, these yellow manganese-stained sands and clays, 

 in conjunction with the flint beds and the concretionary limestone 

 subsequently discovered, make up the hill-top of Creeclibarrow, that 

 is to say, of the area within the GOO feet contour, some three or four 

 acres in extent. Since the source of the limestone fragments in the 

 talus had not yet been discovered, we made an excavation a few feet 

 higher up (No. S), and there we had the satisfaction of detecting 

 a massive tufaceous limestone with an irregular surface passing 

 downwards into sand with calcareous concretions, and this excavation 

 was carried down to a layer of flints which Avas not pierced. 

 AVhether this is the same as the layer in the lower pit one cannot say. 



Before proceeding to describe the complete discovery of the lime- 

 stone, I will draw attention to the problem suggested by the flints. 

 It will be remembered that when in August last I offered three 

 possible suggestions as to the origin of Creechbarrow, I laid con- 

 siderable stress on the abundance of flints knocking about over the 

 hill, as evidence of the former existence of Plateau-gravel upon or 

 near the summit. It was now proved that these large and peculiar 

 flints which one associates with Creechbarrow are not by any means 

 derived from any superficial deposit, but that they constitute an 

 imjjortant part of the beds of which the hill is composed. These 

 beds are undoubtedly of Lower Tertiary age, and if we assume, in 

 default of evidence to the contrary, that they are of Bagshot age, at 

 least these flint beds constitute a portion of the series, whatever it 

 may be. But in order not to prejudge the question of age, I will 

 simply speak of the whole series as the Creechbarrow Beds. 



In describing certain sections further on the subject of these 

 bedded flints will again crop up, but we may note some peculiarities 

 with reference to them now. It must always be borne in mind 

 that these flints are large stones in the midst of extremely fine 

 sediments. There are, no doubt, throughout the CreechbaiTOw Beds, 

 as elsewhere in the Bagshots, coarse iron-grits and lydite gravels, 

 such as the people in the neighbourhood call ' granite gravel.' 

 Still, the bulk of the deposits, whether of sand or clay, are of fine 

 material, and yet these large flints occur in abundance, not only 

 disseminated occasionally through the clays and sands, but accumu- 

 lated in beds of varying development up to 4 feet in thickness. 

 These flints have for the most part a creamy appearance, they are 

 much degelatinized, and in some cases the exterior is simply a mass 

 of granular silica, very meagre to the touch. They are also extremely 

 brittle when first dug out, though I rather think that exposure to 

 the atmosphere toughens them after a while. In consequence of 



