﻿1851.] MACKIE ON THE FOLKESTONE BONE BED. 259 



the former are small and round, the latter generally angular and 

 slightly worn. With these are associated fragments of compact 

 ferruginous sandstone, and the whole is intermixed with loamy 

 sand and calcareous gritty marl. The marl, for the most part, forms 

 the upper portion of the bed, which extends on the face of the cliff 

 for a distance of 320 feet. The bed may be here seen following the 

 irregularities of the uneven surface of the rock on which it rests, and 

 distinctly displaying the variations in its thickness (see fig. 2). 



It contains, generally in the lower part, a considerable number of 

 the remains of Elephant, Ox, Stag, Hysena, Hippopotamus, Irish Deer, 

 &c, and, in the marly portion, numerous specimens of two or three 

 species of Helix * : no fluviatile molluscs have hitherto been observed. 



The Bones and Shells, however, are found both in the gravel and 

 in the calcareous marl above it. 



This bed appears to be cut off by the valley, previously referred to, 

 towards which it thins out altogether ; and no traces of organic re- 

 mains have been found on the east side of the town. On the west 

 it thins off beneath a bed of dark brown clay, much resembling the 

 superficial brick-earth that is found on the surface of the plain, and 

 at many places in the neighbouring country. 



The shaded portion, comprising the Bayle and the Battery, on the 

 accompanying plan (fig. 1) shows the extent of the deposit, as above 

 described. But its distribution is much more extensive, if we regard 

 this bed as being intimately connected with the flint and iron-sandstone 

 Drift which covers the tops of the Chalk-hills, and with the Brick-clay 

 found on the Gault and Greensand plain on which this Bone-bed lies. 



Fig. 2. — Section of a part of the West Cliff, Folkestone. 



Lower Greensand in situ. 



a. Brick-earth. 



b. Calcareous marl with Snail-shells ■ \ Bone 



c. Flint-gravel and ferruginous grit, with a few Gault nodules. Contains bones of Mammalia. J Bed. 



d. Vegetable mould. 



The Section, fig. 2, represents the " Bone Bed " as seen on the face 

 of the West Cliff (see Plan) ; and the Section, fig. 3, taken at a right 

 * First observed by Mr. J. Morris, F.G.S. 



t 2 



