20 Bulletin 9 2i2 



& 9. White limestone. "| 



Sand and shells. | 



Clay bed with oysters. ! Secftion of the 

 Marly arenaceous limestone. f Claiborne bluff. 



Clay bed with oysters. | 



Sand and shells. J 

 Lignite 

 ( or lowest ) Clay bed. 



It is bed No. 3 of this sedtion, viz., the basal bed of the 

 Claiborne escarpment that he supposed expanded to the north 

 and included all fossil bearing" rocks as far north as Black's 

 bluff on the Alabama and Woods bluff on the Tombigbee. 

 Between Tate's ferry and Upper Peach Tree on the Alabama, 

 and between Woods bluff and Black bluff on the Tombigbee, 

 beds I and 2 are found. 



We recognize at once in this classification our upper Mid- 

 way beds in No. i, lower Lignitic beds in No. 2 and upper 

 lyignitic and Lower Claiborne in No. 3. 



Hale was evidently a close observer, for in speaking of the 

 fossiliferous deposits of Clark county on " Bashui creek" he 

 says that they: include nearly all the different species of 

 testacea common in other parts of the series, together with 

 many new ones, some of which are unique. Of the latter 

 may be noticed a Rostellaria, differing from Lea's R. lamarckii 

 in having a more attenuated rostrum, and a very promi- 

 nent tubercle on the back of the body whorl [ Calypt. trino- 

 diferiis Con.^. Also a species of Valuta, having a general 

 resemblance to V. ludator ol the London clay, but differing in a 

 remarkable deposit of enamel behind the aperture, forming a 

 large bourelet covering half the spire to the summit, envelop- 

 ing also the folds of the columella, and otherwise flattening 

 and deforming the symmetry of the aperture [ F. tuomeyi Cofi] . 

 Also a new species of Tornatella, shell robust, spirally fluted 

 with flattened ribs, spire attenuated, two stout folds on the 

 columella, outer lip denticulate \TornatellcBa bella Con.'], etc., 

 etc. 



About simultaneously with Hale's explorations were the first 

 beginnings of Michael Tuomey's studies of beds now classed 

 in the Lignite stage of the Gulf slope. Upon being appointed 

 professor of Geology in the University of Tuscaloosa it was 



