tf Hampshire and Dorsetshire, 263 



VII. Kimeridge Coal. 



Of the bay where this coal is found, I have seen but the eastern 

 part, about a mile to the east of Little Kimeridge, where the cliffs 

 are cut down rather abruptly. These are composed of a slate-clay 

 (Kirw.) of a greyish yellow colour, finely slaty, containing both 

 animal and vegetable impressions. The leaves of which the rock is 

 composed, become much more evident, after it has undergone some 

 decay, or, when sound, after it has been exposed to the fire. It 

 divides spontaneously into large tabular masses. The fracture of 

 the rock is earthy, with many small specks and nodules of in- 

 durated clay. The outside of the rock is covered with a thin layer 

 of calcareous spar. The specific gravity of the specimen I tried, 

 was 2,052. The mass effervesces with acids, but the nodules of 

 indurated clay do not. 



This rock passes gradually to a bituminous shale. The first 

 transition is to a slate-clay of a lighter or darker colour, the joints 

 of which are covered with iron pyrites. It burns with a yellowish 

 flame, giving out a sulphurous smell, and becomes afterwards of a 

 light grey colour. The second transition is to a bituminous shale 

 called Stofiy-coal^ the spec. grav. of which is 1,319. Its colour is 

 dark-brown without any lustre: it effervesces slightly with acids, 

 contains no iron pyrites and burns readily with a yellowish rather 

 smoky and heavy flame. The smell is bituminous but not sulphu- 

 rous. The top and bottom of the Kimeridge coal consist of the 

 slate-clay first described. At little Kimeridge on the shore, I saw 

 several large blocks of a very hard, compact brown limestone, having 

 a concholdal fracture, and displaying a few specks of indurated clay: 

 it had an external covering of a grey earthy colour, owing no doubt 



