110 J. StarUe Gardner 8f G. F. Sarris — The Gelinden Beds. 



Besides the above, 59 species of fossil plants have been found on 

 the same horizon in this pit, described by de Saporta and Marion. 



There is not the slightest doubt, therefore, that the flora is entombed 

 in marine strata. 



Everywhere, in the district under consideration, the Heersien beds 

 rest unconformably on Maestrichtien. 



Now, with regard to the position of the flora with reference to 

 English beds. 



The fauna of the Heersien Superieur of Belgium is a very poor 

 one, there being but few species, and they are all very badly pre- 

 served, with the exception of the fish teeth. There are only 23 

 species of Molluscs in them, unless others have been discovered 

 within the last year. Of these at least eight are found in our Thanet 

 beds. These are: — Cyprina plmiata, OucuUcsa decussata, Modiola 

 elegans, Cyprina Morrisii, Astarte tenera, Cytherea orbicularis, Nucula 

 Boioerbanlcii, and Pholadomya cuneata. All these, with' the exception 

 of JV^. Bowerbanhii, are very common in the Heersien (as far as that 

 term "common" can apply), whilst it is a curious fact that the 

 remaining species are exceedingly rare. In other words, Thanet fossils 

 are the characteristic ones. If the Heersien Superieur beds contained 

 as many species as our Thanet, we should then be in a better position 

 to get out a percentage ; but as we have only, comparatively speaking, 

 negative evidence to go upon, I think that the general facies should 

 rule the day, and in this case this is decidedly a Thanet facies. I 

 have no hesitation in making the beds which entomb the Gelinden 

 flora, then, homotaxial with the lower part of our Thanet beds, and 

 cannot see the slightest particle of evidence — as far as the fauna 

 shows — for making them any older. 



The Landenien beds overlie the Heersien. They are divided into 

 two parts, an upper and a lower. The lower part — Landenien 

 Inferieur — is marine ; and contains in Belgium at least 105 species of 

 fossils, many of which have not yet been described. The Landenien 

 Inferieur are generally admitted to be the Belgian equivalents of our 

 Thanet beds ; but whilst thinking they in part represent them, 

 I am inclined to believe that they in part also represent newer beds. 

 There are only 12 species of Molluscs common to our Thanet beds. 

 These are : — Ficula Smitliii (? ), Scalaria Bowerbankii, Ostrea bellova- 

 cina, Modiola elegans, Gucullcea crassatina, Niicula Bowerbankii, 

 Astarte inceqidlatera itenera), Cytherea orbicidaris, Cyprina planata, 

 Sanguinolaria Edvardsii, Corbula regulbiensis, Pholadomya KonincMi ; 

 five of these are rare. There are 10 London Clay species in all : — 



Beloptera Levesquei. Modiola elegans. 



Aturia zic-zac. Nucula Bowerbankii. 



Ficula Smithi {?). Cyprina planata. 



Ostrea bellovacina. Corbula regulbiensis. 



Finna affinis. Fanopma intermedia. 



and nine are met with in the Oldhaven Sands : — 



Scalaria Bowerbankii. 

 Oslrea bellovacina. 

 Modiola elegans. 

 Astarte tenera. 

 Cytherea bellovacina. 



Cytherea obicularis. 

 Sanguinolaria Edvari 

 Corbula regulbiensis. 



