324 PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



still remain ; and the object of this communication is not to anticipate 

 results, but to promote inquiry. Geologists, especially those of the 

 continent, who have not access to continuous sections so distinct as 

 those of our coasts, may perhaps be gratified, and find it useful, to 

 have placed before them the means of comparison with the beautiful 

 section which it has been above attempted to describe. 



France. 



As the shortest method of enabling the reader to compare the 

 deposit at iV.therfield with those of France, I have placed together in 

 Plate XII. four vertical sections drawn to the same scale. 



1 . Representing the order of the beds or strata at Atherfield, as 

 above described. 



2. Is copied from Mr. Simms's valuable section of the same de- 

 posits at Hythe, in Kent, in which the lowest group contains most 

 of the characteristic fossils at Atherfield, but above these is the mass 

 of "Kentish limestone," about 100 feet in thickness; and this, 

 although the total thickness of the section at Hythe falls short of 

 that of Atherfield by 359 feet. 



The section just mentioned, with the present communication, 

 contains, I believe, a fair epitome of the principal characteristics of 

 this portion of the subcretaceous strata which have as yet been 

 brought to light in England. 



3. Is reduced from M. Cornuel's elaborate section of the environs 

 of Vassy (Mem. Geol. Soc. de France, tom.iv. p. 229), the value of 

 which I myself have had an opportunity of appreciating in a short 

 excursion to that neighbourhood, during which I had the advantage 

 of M. Cornuel's conversation and assistance. 



4. The 4th figure in this Plate is an enlarged copy of the general 

 section subjoined by M. Leymerie to his geological memoir on the 

 Department of the Aube * . 



I should have preferred two French or continental sections more 

 remote than these, which intersect a range of country on the south- 

 east of Paris, throughout which the subcretaceous deposits must 

 be nearly alike ; but even if I had known where other sections were 

 to be found, I must have adverted to the first on account of the 

 talent and conscientious accuracy which M. Cornuel has devoted to 

 the tract around him, and to that of M. Leymerie, from the various 

 ability by which his memoirs are distinguished, and the beauty and 

 value of the plates annexed to his excellent paper on the Aube. I 

 should be highly gratified if what has been stated in the preceding 

 pages, and in other previous publications in England of the last three 

 years, could induce this eminent geologist to reconsider his identifi- 

 cation of the Terrain Neocomien with our Wealden, since I cannot 

 but believe that it is unnecessary to the explanation of the phse- 



* Memoires de la Societe Geologique de France, torn. iv. p. 291, and torn. v. 

 p. 229. 



