404 MESSES. H. W. MONCKTOIf AI^D E. S. HEREIES 



Whether some of the smaller pebble-beds are not of Lower 

 Bagshot age is a matter of some doubt ; but we are inclined to think 

 that at least one or two of the non-continuous lines and small 

 masses of pebbles in the smaller pit belong to that division of the 

 Bagshot Series. 



Upon the Lower Bagshot Sand in this section we make the 

 following remarks : — {a) it is of a white and light yellow colour ; 

 (b) it contains thin seams of white clay (pipe-clay) ; (c) it has masses 

 of pebbles (Middle Bagshot) resting upon and running into the sand, 

 and probably contains one or more non-continuous pebble-beds of 

 Lower Bagshot age. 



Now this is of considerable importance, as Mr. Irving sums up the 

 characteristics of the Lower Bagshot Beds in several well-sections 

 thus (Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. xli. p 496) : — " (ii) There is an 

 absence of all record of pebble-beds in the Lower Bagshot. (iii) The 

 Lower Bagshot Beds are, in all the sections, characterized by the 

 predominance of quartz-sand, coloured green and grey by the presence 

 of organic matter of vegetable origin, (iv) There is an absence of 

 any record of seams of pipe-clay, which are met with frequently in 

 beds of the Middle Division." 



About a mile and a half north-west of St. Ann's Hill, close to the 

 village of Stroude, there is a large sand-pit, of which the section is : — 



Section in a Sand-pit near Stroude, about a quarter of a mile 

 north of Virginia-Water Station. 



ft. in. 



1. Greyish sand without much sign of bedding 7 



2. Fine white and yellow sands, false-bedded, with thin 



lines of pipe-clay 9 



3. Brown hard sand, of variable thickness, false- 



bedded about 2 6 



4. A line of flint pebbles 1 



5. Yellow ferruginous sand, with thicker and more 



persistent bands of pipe-clay and signs of wood. . . 4 6 



This is mapped Lower Bagshot in the Survey Map and, we have 

 no doubt, rightly so. The similarity of the sands with pipe-clays to 

 the beds of that division at St. Ann's Hill, and to the other undoubted 

 instances of Lower Bagshots to which we shall refer, and the 

 absence of green sand are our chief reasons for this conclusion ; and 

 we may note that here we have a small Lower Bagshot pebble-bed. 



Pebbles are recorded as occurring in the sands near this place in 

 .the Survey Memoir (vol. iv. p. 315). 



Passing westwards we note the following section :— 



Section in Brickfield at TitlccrJc's Farm. 



ft. in. 



1. Green sand, of very dark colour, clayey in places 



about 6 



2. Greyish sand and clay, finely laminated, with irony 



layers and concretions. 



3. And in another pit, on the opposite side of the 



road, and at a lower level, white sand. 

 (Lower Bagshot.) 



