453 



A paper, " On the occurrence of Keuper-Sandstone in the upper 

 region otthe New Red Sandstone formation or Poikilitic system in En- 

 gland and Wales," by Professor Buckland, D.D., V.P.G.S., was 

 first read. 



The term Keuper is applied in Germany to the entire series of red 

 and variegated marls and sandstones, which lie between the lias and 

 muschel-kalk. Several of these sandstone beds afford a valuable 

 building stone, specimens of which from the quarries of Stuttgard 

 and of Sinzheim, near Heidelberg, were presented by the author to 

 the Society. Dr. Buckland has identified several varieties of this 

 German Keuper-sandstone with sandstones which occupy an analo- 

 gous position in England in the lower region of the red rock marl. 



The total absence of the Muschel-kalk in this country, has left us 

 without that obvious division which it affords in Germany, between 

 sandstones of the era of the red marl or Keuper, and those more ancient 

 new red sandstones which are distinguished on the Continent by the 

 name of Gres bigarre, or Gr^s de Vosges, and which in England, oc- 

 cupy a large space between the red rock marl and magnesian lime- 

 stone. 



In the vicinity of Warwick, which forms the principal example 

 cited in the present memoir, an excellent section is seen in Guy's 

 Cliff, and a considerable extent of surface is occupied by Keuper- 

 sandstone, which emerges from beneath the red rock marl, near that 

 town and Leamington, and occupies a breadth of three or four miles be- 

 tween Warwick and Kenilworth; at the latter place the Vosges sand- 

 stone rises from beneath it, affording the materials for the construc- 

 tion of the castle of Kenilworth, as the Keuper-sandstone has aftbrded 

 those of the castle and other ancient buildings at Warwick. 



In the absence of the Muschel-kalk, there is here no obvious proof 

 of any interval between the deposition of the new red sandstone of 

 Kenilworth, and of the olive-coloured Keuper-sandstone which rests 

 immediately upon it, and although the mineral condition of this latter 

 sandstone agrees with that of the Keuper-sandstone of Germany, 

 some doubt might have remained as to the identity of strata so distant 

 from each other, without the aid afforded by organic remains. In 

 1823, part of the jaw and other bones of a Saurian, found in the 

 sandstone of Guy's Cliff near Warwick, were presented to the Ox- 

 ford Museum, by the late Butic Greathead, Esq. ; Dr. Buckland has 

 identified these with the remains of the Phytosaurus, which in 1835 

 he saw in the Museum at Wirtemberg; and, as this genus has hitherto 

 been found in no other formation than the Keuper, it leaves little 

 doubt as to the identity of the Warwick sandstone with the Keuper- 

 sandstone of Germany. Fragments of vegetables also are dispersed 

 through the Warwick sandstone, in the same state of imperfect pre- 

 .servation as the greater part of those in the Keuper of Stuttgard. 



In October 1836, further remains, apparently of Phytosaurus, were 

 found at Warwick by Dr. Lloyd of Leamington, who is engaged in 

 tracing the extent of the Keuper throughout this district. 



Dr. Buckland has also recognised the Keuper-sandstone in the 

 uarries of Sutton Mallet near Bridgewater j and of Rumwell Hcale 



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