t 

 58 MR. R. D. DARBISHIRE ON MARINE SHELLS 



of the ebb and flow of currents, varying at short intervals, 

 and probably not far from a coast-line. These sands rest 

 upon a bed of marl with scratched boulders, the so-called 

 Lower Boulder-clay of the Geological Survey. On the 

 clay, in a shallow hollow at the bottom of the ravine, lies 

 a bed of peat, over the surface of which a rill finds its way 

 to join the Bollin. 



As a trivial instance of the concurrence of remains, I 

 may mention that during these cuttings there have been 

 found, in the superficial loam, many of the small tobacco- 

 pipe-heads, of Dutch manufacture, of the 17th century, 

 and below them a silver coin of Edward the Second, and, 

 in the same bed, in the lower part of the ravine, a curious 

 very ancient weight, made of burnt clay, for sinking 

 fishing-nets. 



In the peat are found abundant hazel-nuts. 



On no section, during several visits, was I able to find 

 the shells in situ in quantity ; but Mr, Lowe speaks of 

 having observed the occurrence of fragments in layers. 



In the following list the obviously spurious shells have 

 not been noticed. A few species, particular specimens of 

 which appear to be of doubtful authenticity, are marked 

 in the 5th column with the letter D. It is, however, not 

 impossible that some of these questionable remains may 

 yet be genuine. 



All the specimens are either much broken, even into 

 small fragments, or much rolled and worn. A certain 

 number may be put on one side as bearing the appearance 

 of greater comparative freshness, having parted with less 

 animal matter. These uniformly show signs of great attri- 

 tion : they are noted in the 4th column. The specimens 

 noted in the 3rd column present, as a whole, a facies of 

 more complete fossilization, are often even friable and all, 

 except only in the case of minute convolute shells parti- 

 cularly, broken up into little pieces. 



