Mr. Webster on the Strata lying over the Chalk. 165 



that I have described on the north side of the island, under the 

 chalk. 



Several of them were composed of a calcareous rock, either of a 

 loose or compact texture ; and an attentive consideration of this 

 section, together v^rith those of the opposite coasts of Dorsetshire, 

 Hampshire, and Sussex, convinced me that the date of their origin 

 was posterior to that of the chalk. 



No distinct limestone stratum had been hitherto observed above 

 any part of the chalk in this country, although it was well known 

 that such were frequent in France. That this is the real position 

 of the limestones near Paris could not be doubted, since the chalk is 

 always reached in sinking to great depths. But the geognostic place 

 of the strata on the north side of the Isle of Wight, was more diffi- 

 cult to ascertain ; and it was only from many combined considerations 

 that I was led to the conclusion, that they might be found to agree 

 with some of those lately described by Cuvier and Brongnlart, as 

 contained in the basin of Paris. 



These considerations were the following : 



The chalk of England, although It appears upon the surface only 

 in detached hills and patches, is actually continuous through con- 

 siderable tracts of country, where it exists at great depths, as is now 

 ascertained by numerous wells and other sinkings. In the order of 

 position, which the strata of the chalk itself, and those which lie 

 above and below it, bear severally to one another, there has been 

 observed in distant places a remarkable agreement. And although 

 occasional varieties may be noticed, in consequence of the defect or 

 redundance of any one stratum, yet the law of the Wernerlan school 

 seems to hold good ; viz. that the order of the beds is never inverted. 



This agreement renders it extremely probable that the correspond- 

 ing strata, found in diiferent parts of the same country, arose from 



