Thomas Beesley^s Geology of Banbury. 281 



stone, in variable proportions, that of King's Sutton ranging frora 

 18-7 to 25-5, and even to 34 per cent, of iron, but the richer samples 

 are very sandy. 



When richest it will yield as much, according to Prof. Phillips 

 (Geol. of Oxford, etc.), as " 30,000 tons to the acre, every three tons 

 of the best samples producing one ton of iron." 



From the Marlstone beds Mr. Beesley obtained 69 species of fossils, 

 and from the whole Middle Lias 190 ; from the Adderbury quarry 

 he mentions a large trunk of Coniferous wood, and describes drift- 

 wood as common in the Marlstone. 



Detached outliers of Upper Lias occur on Crouch and Constitution 

 Hills, on the Marlstone plateau, and fringes along the slope of the 

 valleys to the west, reaching a thickness of 100 feet of blue whitish 

 clay, with earthy limestone separated by thin shales. 



The Saurian and Fish zone of Somersetshire was discovered by 

 Mr. Beesley, at Middleton Cheney and Thenford to the east, and by 

 Mr. Judd, F.G.S., at Sibford, seven miles west of Banbury. The 

 " Upper Cephalopoda beds " of Somersetshire, described by Mr. 

 Moore, F.G.S., are constant in the former district ; from these Upper 

 Lias beds were obtained 124 species, including 2 vertebrata and 

 2 corals. Two years ago it was shown by Mr. Judd, late of the 

 Geological Survey, and by Mr. Sharp, F.G.S., of Dallington, that the 

 Northampton sands (which, in opposition to the views of Dr. Lycett, 

 Prof. Morris, and the Eev. P. B. Brodie, have been held by many 

 eminent geologists to be the base of the " Great Oolite"), were really 

 the Inferior Oolite. Mr. Beesley has not only been able to confirm 

 this, but has discovered the Inferior Oolite rock-bed, probably a part 

 of the Freestone division. 



The marlstone plateau to the south is bounded by the Northampton 

 Sands " from Swerford on the west, by Great Tew and Dun's Tew 

 to near Deddington." It also forms the east and west slopes of 

 Constitution Hill, where loose sandy beds occur ; at Milcomb Hill are 

 sandy limestones, and at Sibthorp a light brown thick-bedded lime- 

 stone is quarried for building. The sandy beds sometimes reach a 

 thickness of 30 feet, and are of a red, orange, grey, or white colour. 



In the limestones occur. Am. MurcMsonm, Hinnites ahjectus, Ostrea 

 costata, Terebratula perovalis, BhyncJionella suh-decorata, Montlivaltia 

 De-la-Bechei, &c. 



At Combe Hill and Blackingrove limestone beds let in by faults 

 (originally mapped however by the Geological Survey as " North- 

 ampton Sands ") have been proved by Mr. Beesley to be undoubtedly 

 Inferior Oolite. From the Combe Hill beds he has collected 65 species 

 of fossils, most of which were determined by Mr. Etheridge, F.K.S. 

 The collection includes a new Trigonia, which will be described by 

 Dr. Lycett in his monograph on the Trigoniadcp. 



The thickness of the Great Oolite cannot be measured, owing to 

 faults. It is probably about 50 feet. The limestone is earthy, com- 

 pact, white outside, and blue within. It is never a freestone, but 

 occasionally contains hard shelly bands like Forest Marble, used for 

 road-metal. The limestone at Tadmarton contains Teleosaurus 



