196 



the state of knowledge respecting the formation up to the period of 

 preparing his memoir. 



Mr. Charlesworth then proceeds to point out that the crag consists, 

 in parts of Essex and Suflblk, of two well-defined beds ; the upper 

 characterized by its ferruginous colour, and the lower by the presence 

 of corals; and he proposes for them the terms of "red crag" and 

 "coralline crag". 



The best localities for examining these beds are, Ramsholt, on the 

 eastern bank of the Deben ; Tattingstone, between the Orwell and 

 Stour; Sudbourn Park, twenty miles to the east of Tattingstone j and 

 Orford. 



The " red crag" at these localities varies from four to nineteen feet 

 in thickness, and the "coralline crag" from seven to twelve feet. 



The most striking peculiarity of the coralline crag is stated to be 

 its uniform character, presenting none of those variations in colour or 

 stratification which are constant in the upper beds. It is composed of 

 highly calcareous sand, containing numerous Testacea, none of which 

 appear to have been rolled, and the species often occur in groups. 

 The corals are most abundant at Orford and Sudbourn, 



For his general information respecting the organic remains in the 

 two beds, the author states that he is indebted to Mr. Wood, of 

 Hasketon, near Woodbridge, who has formed a very large collec- 

 tion of crag shells, and has been, as well as the Rev. G. R. Leathes, 

 for many years aware of the existence of the two beds. Mr. Wood's 

 collection is stated to contain the following species : 



Annulata 13 Conchifera. ..... 189 



Cirripeda 11 Mollusca 257 



in all 450, including 50 species of minute Cephalopods. Of these 

 species, about 80 are said to be peculiar to the red crag, upwards of 

 200 to the coralline, and the remaining 150 to be common to the 

 two. One of the most marked distinctions between the Testacea of 

 the upper and lower deposit is the total absence in the latter of the 

 Fusus contrarius, and the Buccina and Murices, so abundant in the 

 former. In the coralline stratum the remains of Echinidse are nu- 

 merous, belonging to several genera, In the red crag, fish teeth 

 are very common, but they are of rare occurrence in the coralline 3 

 and the remains of Mammalia appear to be confined to the upper 

 bed. The author then enters into an inquiry respecting the relative 

 age of the red and coralline crag ; and from the difference in their 

 zoological contents, he concludes that the two beds were deposited 

 luider different conditions, at different periods. 



June 10.— John Cowley Fisher, Esq., of Woodhall, near Cocker- 

 mouth, Cumberland, and Frederick Ayrton, Esq., Lieutenant in the 

 Bombay Artillery, were elected Fellows of this Society. 



A paper was first read, entitled " Note on the Trappean Rocks as- 

 sociated with the (New) Red Sandstone of Devonshire j" bv Henry 

 T. De la Beche, For. Sec. G.S. 



The author remarks, that white trappean rocks are not found among 



