Vent nor, Ide of Wight. 441 



Gault, being inucli darker and more compact than the grey micaceous 

 cXay and sand on which it rests, indicating an ahnost sudden cliange 

 from these to Gault, It contains in some places masses of a dark 

 shaly substance, and is full of the remains of Serpula antiquata. 

 At its base is a thin band of hard blue chert containing the crushed 

 shells of a large Tnoceramiis ; on the top of which is another bed of 

 the same material also containing Inocerami in a more perfect con- 

 dition, with Panopcea. The total thickness of these lower beds is 

 about three feet ; they contain the first organic remains which can 

 be recognized in the series. 



The next thirty feet above consists of soft yellow micaceous sands, 

 divided by layers of large nodules or concretions of Rag, about five 

 or six in number. These nodules, in shape like a compressed 

 cone, are circular, and measure from a few inches to three or four 

 feet in diameter. Nearly all of them, especially those of the lower 

 zones, contain, with the layers of Kag, many fossils, such as large 

 Ammonites {A. rostratiis, A. inflatus) ; and groups of fossils often 

 occur in them. Some of the lower concretions have a central 

 elevation, and some have a phosphatic tube-like structure in the 

 centre, often four or five sided ; they are quite common in the lower 

 beds of the black shaly masses mentioned. 



The layers of Rag and nodules are all coated with the soft 

 micaceous sandy matrix in which they are imbedded, which weathers 

 off on exposure to the elements, often exhibiting fossils in relief on 

 their surfaces, especially in the cliffs East of Black Gang Chine. 

 It was from one of these that Mr. Saxby obtained his specimen of 

 Hoploparia Saxhiji on the shore at Ventnor. 



This fossil is by no means confined to these lower beds, but ranges 

 through this and the next division also. 



Second Division. 



This division I propose to name the Sandstone and Rag-Beds : 

 it ranges from the before-mentioned series up to the Firestone. 



The first is an irregular stratified bed of hard blue chert, with 

 nodules of the same. Some of the detached nodules are full of 

 Serpula antiquata, with other fossils ; Ammonites rostratus, and a 

 large Ammonite with a roimded back ; Pecten orbicularis, etc. 

 Resting upon this band is a bed of compact reddish-brown sandstone 

 ten feet thick, streaked with black lines, which contains many fossils 

 in the lower three or four feet : Ammonites rostratus, with other 

 imnamed Ammonites. Panopcea is also common. This is succeeded 

 by another bed of Rag of one foot ; and ten feet of sandstone of the 

 same lithological character as the bed below, but more compact, which, 

 excepting the large Ammonites rostratus, contains but few fossils. 



Resting upon these beds is a thick bed of Rag, and seven alter- 

 nating beds of soft sandstone, divided by another layer of large 

 conical flattened concretions called by quarrymen " Whills," which 

 contain fossils such as Limas, Pectens, Terehratulce, etc. These 

 again are succeeded by two bands of darkly streaked laminated 

 sandstone containing a species of Cardiaster, with a Panopcea, this 



