SECOND SHALE. 79 



Many of the beds in this series, instead of resembling this solid 

 stratum, are schistose. This has Ijeen noticed in speaking of the 

 channel of the stream near Kirkdale church. Tliese schistose strata 

 appear most numerous in some of the northern fronts of the oolite 

 hills ; as in the hill at Newton, and in Saltergate Brow ; where the 

 series differs greatly from that observed in the west fronts of the 

 Hambleton hills. The northern fronts of the oolite hills are, however, 

 so smoothed by alluvium, that they present few places where the 

 beds can be properly examined. 



The strata now described are succeeded by what we may term 



THE SECOND SHALE. 



This member of our strata ( marked y in the Section) may be seen 

 a little to the north of Filey Bridge, rising from under the series last 

 described. It gradually ascends, as we proceed northward, till, in 

 the cliffs opposite Gristhorp, it attains a great height; the sandstone 

 that caps it becoming thinner and thinner, till it wears out altogether, 

 leaving the shale to occupy the whole front of the cbffs, for a con- 

 siderable space. It continues to maintain its ascendency as far as 

 Cayton mill, where it begins to be covered up by broken strata that 

 \m'i\\ be afterwards mentioned. In some p)laces, nearly opposite Gris- 

 thorp, the fragments or masses, which have fallen from the cliffs, 

 have formed an outwork, to protect them from the violence of the 

 waves. 



This shale may be seen in various places round the vale of Pick- 

 ering. It is found at Wilton, at the foot of the slope occupied by 

 the calcareous series of beds. At Ebberston it has been bored into 

 to a great depth, in a fruitless search for coal. We find it at Hutton- 

 in-the-Hole, where it forms the banks of the beck. It is also seen on 

 the side of the road near Keldholm. At Malton it is found in the 



