202 [Proc. B. N. F. C, 



was taken, and levels were run to a fixed bench-mark, that the 

 heights of the beds might be referred to the datum of the 

 Ordnance Survey. This concluded the field work of the 

 investigation. 



III. — GEOLOGICAL AND PALjEONTOLOGICAL FEATURES 

 OF THE BEDS. 



Beds A and B. — The first bed in descending order, or upper 

 gravel, the surface of which is 35 feet above Ordnance Survey 

 Datum, or 22 feet above high water mark, consists of 6 feet of 

 coarse gravel, composed of pebbles up to 6 inches diameter, 

 chiefly of trap and chalk, with a matrix of yellow sand ; the 

 uppermost i / -6 // has been disturbed by cultivation, and consists 

 of brown, gravelly soil. This bed is regularly stratified and has 

 a dip of about 8° South-east. Fossils are not uncommon, 

 though less frequent than in the underlying beds ; they con- 

 sist chiefly of littoral shells which still abound in the adjoining 

 waters, but are in an extremely fragile state, owing to the 

 disintegrating effect of the percolating water. A full list of the 

 species observed in this and the succeeding strata is appended. 



Bed C. — Below this gravel bed come several alternating bands 

 of fine gravel and sand, attaining a depth, at the point examined, 

 of 3 / -6 ,/ . Shells of littoral species are frequent, and several 

 bivalves were found {Tapes decussatus, Oslrea edulis, Lucina 

 borealis), with the pairs of valves still in the natural position. 

 The basal zone is a band 9" thick, of fine brownish sand, which 

 is persistent over the whole length of section exposed (200 

 feet), having a uniform dip of 2 South-east ; it yields abund- 

 ance of Littorina litorea, L. obtusata, and similar shells. 



Bed D. — Underlying the sandy zones is another bed of coarse 

 gravel, 8 / -6 // in thickness, resembling in general appearance and 

 characteristics the upper gravel. The dip, however, is in a 

 different direction, and at a high angle, showing a steep slope 

 (1 in 3) along the face, and the same at right angles to this 

 direction, which combined, give a dip of 25 West. Fossils are 

 numerous, Littorince being again the prevalent species, but 



