266 PLASTIC CLAY FORMATION. 



red variety of Plastic clay, in a small valley, at the village of Binstead, 

 three miles west of Arundel ; and also on the declivity of the lull by 

 which the Binstead and Chichester road descends into Arundel. 



The country around Chichester has a foundation of chalk, with a sub- 

 soil of fine red gravel, and pebbles, mixed with sand, loam, and chalk 

 rubble. Furrows and weUs in the chalk, fiUed with these materials, are 

 commonly observable in the quarries near that city. 



On the opposite coast of France, strata corresponding with those of 

 Castle Hill, and Chimting Castle, occupy the same relative position. 



In the perpendicular cliifs, under the hght-house of St. Margaret, to 

 the west of Dieppe, the following beds occur : — 



1. Chalk. 



2. Sand and sandstone in thick beds, containing concretions of the 



same substances. 



3. Plastic clay, impure, and containing Ugnite much charged with 



pyrites. Also oysters, cerithia, &c. both in beds, and irre- 

 gularly disseminated. 



4. Alluvium*. 



These deposits M. Brongniart considers as identical with the beds of 

 the Plastic clay formation in many other parts of France ; particularly at 

 Marly, and in the Soissonnois, where similar organic remains occupy 

 strata disposed in the same manner, and identical with those near Dieppe. 



In the preceding sketch of the strata of the Plastic clay of Sussex, 

 the geologist will immediately recognize the usual characters of that 

 formation, which, "viewed on an extended scale, is composed of an 

 indefinite number of sand, clay, and pebble beds, irregularly alternating. 

 The distribution of the organic remains, like the alternation of the strata, 

 being exceedingly variable ; sometimes they occupy the clay ; at other 

 times the sand or pebbles ; and very frequently are altogether wanting in 

 them both-f-." 



* Professor Buckland on the Plastic Clay Formation, Geolog. Trans. Vol. iv. p. 295, 

 f Geological Transactions, Vol. iv. loc. cit. 



