1869.] 



WILTSHIRE HUNSTANTON RED CHALK. 



187 



without sand, apparently destitute of organic remains, and never 

 exceeding two or three inches in thickness. 



The fossils in the three red beds are for the most part similar, 

 and suggest the inference that all three bands may be considered as 

 forming a single division and composing one geological stratum. In 

 the case where certain fossils have been seen only in the lowest 

 part, their absence elsewhere may be accounted for on the ground 

 that the upper bed (A) is less numerically abundant in organic re- 

 mains than are those below, and that the middle bed (B) is so ex- 

 ceedingly hard and compact as to diminish the chance of discovering 

 fossils. Avicula gryphceoides and Spongia paradoxica would seem, 

 however, to be special to the upper part of A, the highest of the 

 three red beds. The dip of these beds in the cliff is about 2°, to 

 the north ; sections inland taken at right angles give the same num- 

 ber of degrees to the easlj^ 



Many visits to the Hunstanton Cliff, undertaken at intervals 

 during the last ten years, have enabled me to gather together a very 

 fair collection of the species peculiar to the red beds. The follow- 

 ing list, taken from specimens in my cabinet, may therefore be re- 

 garded as representing the general fauna of the " Red Chalk." 

 From this list are purposely excluded doubtful species and mere 

 varieties of form, those only being introduced which can be safely 

 defined. As a matter of interest, the numerical frequency of the 

 fossils and their position in the three divisions are recorded. The 

 letters v. c, c, r., v. r., in the fourth column stand for very common, 

 common, rare, and very rare, and imply the relative abundance of 

 the various species. The mark * in one or more of the first three 

 columns shows that the fossils to which it is affixed have been met 

 with in such bed or beds. 



Fossils from the Bed ClialTc. 









Highest 

 Band, A. 



Middle 

 Band, B. 



Lowest 

 Band, C. 



Fre- 

 quency. 



Spongia paradoxica, Webster 



Scyphia tenuis, RceTner 



* 

 * 



* 

 * 



* 

 * 



* 

 * 

 * 

 * 

 * 

 * 

 * 



* 



* 

 * 

 * 

 * 



* 



* 



* 

 * 



* 



c. 

 r. 

 c. 

 r. 

 c. 

 r. 

 c. 

 c. 

 c. 

 r. 

 c. 

 c. 

 c. 

 r. 



V. r. 

 r. 



Berenicea regularis, IX Orb 



Proboscina dilatata, jD' Orb 



Reptomulticava mamilla, Reuss .... 



Stomatopora longiscuta, D' Orb 



Micrabacia coronula, Goldf, 



Cyclolites polymorpha, Goldf. 



Podoseris mamilUformis, Duncan . . 

 elongata, Duncan 



Bourgueticriaus rugosus, Ag 



Torynocrinus canon, Seeley 



Pentacrinus Fittoni, Aust 



Oidaris gaultina, Forbes 



,n. s., spines, Wright ( Cret. Echin., 



pi. xii. fig. 8) _ 



Pseudodiadema Brongniarti, Ag. . . 



