358 R. F. TOMES ON MADREPORARIA FROM THE LIAS OF 
establishment of two distinct series of conglomeratic beds at the 
point mentioned. Nor will my conclusions be much affected if at 
some other point these two series should be found blended, either 
with each other or with some other beds, so long as I am able to 
show that the Sutton Stone at Sutton is distinct from the conglo- 
merate immediately overlying it. But as I differ so essentially in 
my interpretation of the coast-section from the readings of such very 
high authorities as Bristow, Moore, and Tate, who have declared 
their convictions that the whole from top to bottom and, I might 
even say, from end to end, is true Lias, I ought perhaps to enter 
somewhat more fully into the reasons for this difference of opinion. 
If I am right in considering with Mr. Tawney that the true Sutton 
Stone is only exposed for a short distance horizontally, it is obvious 
that the conglomerate which is seen further to the east, that is at 
Southerndown, is not Sutton Stone but the Upper Conglomerate, 
which has dipped down to the shore-level; and as it contains un- 
doubted Lias fossils, such as Ammonites and Gryphites, these would 
certainly be observable, at that spot, from the top to the very 
bottom of the cliff. It must, I think, have been this part of the 
section which engaged Mr. Bristow’s attention when he spoke of 
the rocks being so hard that ‘“‘ even with the help of so experienced 
a collector as Mr. Gibbs, the number of specimens procured is but 
scanty.” According to my views, therefore, fossils obtained from 
any spot other than at or near Sutton are not Sutton-Stone fossils ; 
and unless I am assured that the lists of species have been drawn 
up from specimens actually collected at that place, I must still 
venture to doubt their value as evidence. 
My own examination of this fine section, unsupported by other 
evidence, would lead me to the conclusion that the Sutton Stone 
holds a position at the base of the Liassic series corresponding to 
that of the White Lias or Upper Rhetic beds. But there are other 
reasons for regarding it as holding a position below the true Lias. 
Mr. Bristow has stated his belief that a conglomerate bed in the 
bottom of the excavation at the Stormy Cement Works, about two 
miles from Pyle, is the thinned-out representative of the Sutton 
Stone, and that the bed upon which it rests represents the White 
Lias. Mr. Tawney also attributes this lower bed to the White Lias, 
but appears to have overlooked the Conglomerate bed. The follow- 
ing is the section at that place, on which I wish to make a few 
remarks :— 
ft. in 
1. Drift, with boulders of Millstone Grit .2.......)..54..ssa0<-as nee 2 
2. Rubbly stone, much broken up, and containing Lima gigantea, 
Ammonites, and a discoid Montlivaltia .......ccccccccseccccceccenececes 0 6 
3. Rubbly stone, similar to‘the' last» {25.25 i055 .ces.0tc-)-cte cess voedeeu amines 0 6 
4. Stone much resembling therlast co... 25<c0e. «te <p dae owen sens sae be «eee ta 
5. Compact beds like the last, but divided by thin layers of shale...... 12 0 
6. Compact beds like the last, but containing a few examples of Ostrea 
WASSUCG ba sata on arn uesdon exeeccnse+a as apnisne Son taleigpis ke seen ats <6 eee eee 6 0 
7. Compact stone, harder than the preceding, and containing Ostrea 
liassice im great abundance. 0... 431. -coesee=.s00ae+s-l0«sadas eee see Le 
8. Hard and subcrystalline stone, very closely resembling the Ostrea- 
