Vol. 57.] OF THE NORTH COTTES WOLDS. 141 



denuded prior to tlie deposition of the upper beds of the Inferior 

 Oolite. The western portion shows what has actually been found ; 

 the eastern part, so far as Upper Lias and strata of scissi hemera 

 are concerned, what is the interpretation of Prof. Hull's observations 

 and of Mr. Walford's finds. Then we may expect to find in Oxford- 

 shire a coming-in, as we go down the syncline, of the other beds 

 of the Inferior Oolite, in the order in which they disappeared west 

 of the anticline. But this may be complicated by the fact that there 

 was more than one denudation — one prior to scissi hemera, one 

 post-hradfordensis (after Oolite-Marl), and one prior to Oarantiance 

 (Upper Trigonia-gTit): see Appendix II, p. 152. But there is little 

 doubt that the interpretation of the Oxfordshire strata is this — that 

 the beds of the Inferior Oolite reappear more or less completely, 

 representing those of the Cotteswolds which are found to disappear. 

 An extended diagram (fig. 3, p. 142) of the strata across the 

 North Cotteswolds may now be given, and calls for the following 

 remarks : — 



It proposes to be no more than a generally approximative 

 diagram. The thick waved line represents the contour, roughly, 

 of the present-day surface. The thick lines between beds indicate 

 lines of denudation. The horizontal thick line beneath the Upper 

 Trigonia-grit is taken as a base-line. 



The sectioa is drawn from Cleeve Hill to Chastleton, though of 

 course some evidence has had to be obtained from places a little 

 way off the direct line. 



As to the evidence, especially of the syncline between E-owell Gate 

 and Donnington : — The Phillipsiana-to-WitchelUa-heds disappear 

 before Rowell Gate, indicative of an easterly rise in that distance 

 (relative to the Upper Trigonia-gnt line) of about 30 feet. 

 Confirmatory of this surmise, though not of much value alone, is the 

 slightly higher position, actually, of the Marlstone in the Winch- 

 combe Valley than on the western face of Cleeve Hill. Even a dead 

 level, without an easterly dip, would be enough for the purpose. 



If, however, the rise, by which the Phillipsiana-to- WitcheUia- 

 beds disappear, had been maintained, then the Notgrove Free- 

 stone should disappear about at Rowell Gate, and most of the Inferior 

 Oolite should disappear shortly afterwards. Such is not the case. 

 The Notgrove Freestone maintains its position for a long distance. 

 I surmised, to account for this, that there must be a syncline 

 between Rowell Gate and Donnington. I tried the position of the 

 Upper Lias in the only available intermediate place, the Kinetoii 

 Valley, and found that it was about 130 feet lower there than on 

 the western flank of Cleeve Hill, the top of it being actually lower 

 than the bottom of it in the Winchcombe Valley. 



Such difference of level exactly suits the hypothesis of a syncline. 

 Too much importance cannot be attached to it. It may be of 

 Tertiary date ; or it may be, as I have supposed for my purpose, 

 what may be called pre-Bathonian. Assuming that it is so, it 

 fits the theory of a syncline excellently. With such a syncline, 

 however, the Notgrove Freestone should dip, and the Phillipsiana- 

 io-WitcheUia-beds ought to come in again east of Kineton. There 



