2 26 Geology. 



them " Sand of the Inferior Oolite." Evidently then, pas- 

 sage beds "they may (as H. B. Woodward says in his 

 Memoir, /. 1 1 8,) very properly be considered as forming the 

 natural base of the Inferior Oolite," constituting the lowest 

 beds of the Lower Oolite Division. And here in passing 

 we may state, that though much has been done of late years 

 amongst these rocks, yet in the main but little alteration has 

 been made in their stratigraphical order, since the time 

 when William Smith laid down that important formula of 

 the identification of strata by their characteristic organic 

 remains, the great key to unlock the definite order of 

 organic succession in the crust of this earth (^ide Prest- 

 wich. Geology, vol. it., p. 190). The division then laid 

 down of the Lower Oolites into — 



Cornbrash. 



Bradford Clay and Forest Marble. 



3. Great or Bath Oolite and Stonefield beds. 



4. FuUer's-Earth. 

 Inferior Oolite. 



Still holds good, and marks the correctness of that great 

 man's geological prescience. These sands were exposed 

 in making the Bath and Evercreech Railway, the long 

 tunnel between Bath and Midford being cut through them. 

 ' At the S.E. entrance of the tunnel, on the Midford side, 

 a good section may now be seen, the weathering having 

 brought out the hard " sand-burrs " into marked prominence. 

 The thickness may be estimated at 150 ft., or somewhat less. 

 Beechen Cliff, whence is the best bird's-eye view of the city, 

 is another good pla6e to study them. They may also be 

 seen cropping out under Beacon-hill, on the opposite side ; 

 at Charlcombe, too, they appear about 70 ft. thick. At the 

 furthest end of the tunnel, beneath Devonshire-buildings, 



