Geological Structure of the Neighbourhood of Reading. 129 



of organic remains, principally Echini and Terebratulae in flint. In the pit 

 on the Oakingham road bones and teeth of the elephant have been found. 



To return to the thin bed of shells near the surface at Katesg-rove. I can- 

 not discover that it has been found on the north-western side of the town ; and 

 it probably crops out at Katesgrove. In Clackman's field, about a quarter of 

 a mile south-east from that pit, in sinking- a well the bed was found in a 

 very perfect state about four inches thick, and about thirty feet below the 

 surface ; and the shells, though in a very brittle chalky state, were firmly 

 concreted by sand. The best of the specimens are deposited in the Mu- 

 seum of the Reading Philosophical Institution. In these specimens, some 

 of the shells are lined with crystals of iron pyrites and some with crystal- 

 lized carbonate of lime. This stratum has also been found at several places 

 south of Reading ; and at Woodley Lodge, the residence of James Whitle, 

 Esq., about three miles east of the town, the thickness of the bed is about 

 an inch. It was found about forty feet deep, in sinking a well, and immedi- 

 ately under it a supply of indifferent water was obtained. 



It is also recorded "that in an unsuccessful attempt to procure coal at 

 Hose Hill" (in the parish of Burghfield, and on the south bank of the Kennet 

 Valley, about four miles and a half south-west of Reading) "a few years ago, 

 a bed of cockle shells, firmly concreted with sand, was discovered about 

 twelve feet below the surface*." This, there can be little doubt, is the same 

 bed as that found at Katesgrove and at Woodley. 



Before I conclude I may be allowed to notice another fact connected 

 with Reading, which has been verified by repeated observations and is 

 well known by the well-sinkers. All the wells in the town (excepting those 

 supplied by soakage or land-springs, which are mostly of bad quality), whether 



* Since the foregoing account was written, I have been favoured with a letter from Mr. Wheble, 

 of which the following is the substance : — 



The blue clay prevailed for about forty feet, when the concrete of shells and clay appeared. 

 On breaking through this mass, water was found in a small stream. The men then continued to 

 sink through a clay streaked blue, red, and white, to the depth of ninety-five feet from the surface. 

 Boring was then commenced and continued about thirty-five feet deeper, always through the 

 second sort of clay, but with more of sandy particles occasionally, without meeting with any 

 further supply of water than the one above mentioned. In the first forty feet many oysters, &c. 

 were found, not concreted, but disseminated in the clay. One large rounded flint with several 

 oyster-shells firmly attached was brought up. 



In the course of the sinking, the air in the well was very sulphureous and disagreeable to the 

 workmen, and for a considerable period the water was powerfully sulphureous and chalybeate. 

 The supply of water seems to have increased of late years, but it never rises above the level 

 which it oiginally attaind. 



VOL. V. SECOND SERIES. S 



