194 PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. (Jan. 12, 
the gravel varies much, from 6.feet upwards; and all the way to 
Hillmorton the same remark is true. On the whole it deepens to- 
wards Hillmorton ; but an inspection of the ponds shows that there 
are many places where the clay nears the surface. 
At Hillmorton we come upon the most interesting spot in the 
whole neighbourhood. The gravel along the upper road averages 
14 or 15 feet, thinning out on the slopes on all sides. At the toll- 
gate, on the slope leading to Kilsby, itis 8 feet. At Mr. Darnell’s, 
which is at the head of the little lateral valley leading to Low 
Morton, it is 13 feet. At the Hillmorton clay-pits it can be seen to 
thin out down the slope of the hill from 6 to 3 feet or less. In 
‘sinking Mr. Darnell’s well, there was found below the gravel a stiff 
sandy soil, wet, with streaks of white and red clay, then a stiff 
blue clay containing chalk-pebbles, 3 or 4 feet in thickness, and 
finally blue Lias clay containing nodules of limestone. The largest 
of the chalk-pebbles was about 13 inch round. The well was sunk 
42 feet, and the boring continued 62 feet. 
The ground slopes on all sides down to the narrow valley in which 
Lowmorton stands; the street that leads to Hillmorton occupies 
nearly the whole width of the valley. The gravel thins cut down 
the slope, and entirely disappears just above the lower village; the 
surface-soil there rests on undisturbed Lias clay. On the sides and 
bottom of the valley are very large accumulations of sand, which 
form perhaps the most striking feature in this neighbourhood. 
On the left-hand side of the valley is a large sand-pit with a clay- 
pit just above it. In the upper pit flinty drift is seen to overlie 
interstratified sands and gravel-beds to a depth of about 10 feet. 
The lower sands are not distinguishable from the sands of the sand- 
pit, with which they are evidently continuous. There are here 
several small faults in the sand: I ascertained by excavation that 
they passed down into stiff reddish greasy clay that lies under the 
sand and over the Lias clay. Seams of the same clay are found in 
the upper part of the sand-pit. The sand has a thickness of at least 
47 feet, and is thrown against a remarkably steep bank of Lias clay. 
This must have a slope of not less than 45°. 
The Sand-pit forms an amphitheatre 47 feet in height. Itisa 
sugary dirty sand containing about 5 per cent. of chalk and sesqui- 
oxide of iron, according to an analysis made by Mr. W. H. Pike in 
the School laboratory. The sand 1s stratified, and contains a few 
thin layers of black carbonaceous matter resembling coal. It con- 
tains a few small pebbles of flint and quartzite; and in the streaks of 
fine clay are nodules which contain some lime and a few rolled spe- 
cimens of Gryphca incurva. 
The sand skirts the whole northern edge of the plateau before 
spoken of, and is shown at the cutting on the Rugby and Lowmorton 
road. It extends about half a mile towards Rugby, thinning out 
up the slope, where the clay comes to the surface. At Low Morton 
itself the valley is filled in its lower part with sand, and the east as 
well as the west slopes have large sand-banks. In some places it is 
exposed, covered with clean flinty gravel. But it is best exhibited ~ 
