190 Mt. Webster on the Strala lying over the Chalj^. 



water was then found. Another well was dug about a quarter 

 of a mile north from Portsmouth, where water of a good quality- 

 was obtained at a depth of 126 feet from the surface. Two years 

 ago a well was sunk in the town of Portsmouth, to the depth of 

 266 feet, without getting through the blue clay, and they left off 

 without finding water. This is the greatest depth they have gone 

 to in this place. The fossils dug up from these wells agree exactly 

 with those found in other parts of the same stratum." 



I traced this blue clay west of Portsmouth by Emsworth and 

 Chichester harbours to Brackelsham ; and thence round Selsey Bill 

 to Pagham harbour. 



At Bognor it assumes a new character; instead of a blue clay, 

 we find here a number of rocks, now appearing as detached masses 

 in the sea, though evidently forming portions of a stratum once 

 continuous. The lowest part of these rocks is a dark grey lime- 

 stone, or perhaps rather a sandstone, containing much calcareous 

 matter, enclosing many fossils belonging to the blue clay. The 

 upper part is a siliceous sandstone Bognor rocks resemble much 

 the nodules and beds of limestone that are found in the blue clay in 

 Alum bay, and no doubt are owing to the great abundance of cal- 

 careous matter in this part of the bed. 



The Barns rocks between Selsea and Bognor, the Houndgate and 

 Street rocks on the west, and Mixen rocks to the south, of Selsea, 

 are portions of the same bed ; and I found similar but smaller 

 masses at Stubbington. 



From this place to Brighton the shore is quite flat, and the chalk 

 lies at no great depth. 



The coast at Brighton has been already mentioned. At Rotten- 

 dean the cliff towards the sea consists of chalk, and this continues 

 to Newhaven. At this place a series of beds above the chalk occurs, 



