1870.] JUDD—NEOCOMIAN. 329 
at Hackness, was a frequent visitor at Knapton; and experiments were 
conducted which demonstrated the great value of the material for 
agricultural purposes. Serious thoughts were at one time entertained 
of working this seam of phosphatic nodules ; but its thinness and the 
amount of bearing which required to be moved in following the bed led 
tothe abandonment of the scheme. I obtained specimens of these no- 
dules; and they are identical in every respect with those which have of 
late years been so extensively worked at Speeton Cliff, and which, as 
shown by Mr. Leckenby, mark the boundary between the Neocomian 
and Jurassic formations. Taking into account the identity in character 
and thickness of this seam of phosphatic nodules with that worked 
at Speeton, the similarity in every respect of the pyritous clays in 
both localities, immediately overlying it, and the similar septaria 
in both, occurring at a little higher level and crowded with 
the same species of Ammonites, I think there can be no doubt that 
we have here at Knapton the junction of the Neocomian and Oolitic 
clays. At this place a boring was many years ago put down to 
the depth of 500 feet, the only strata pierced being beds of blue 
clay (Kimmeridge). It is quite in conformity with our views of 
the relations of the strata of the Vale of Pickering, that at Sett- 
rington and North Grimston, a little to the west of Knapton, we 
find the Kimmeridge clay lying immediately at the foot of the Wolds. 
The same formation is again found at several points along the north 
side of the Vale of Pickering, as at Kirkby Moorside, where Ostrea 
deltoidea, Sow., (which I have shown to be characteristic of the lowest 
Kimmeridge beds,) occurs. The clays of the two pits at Knapton 
were formerly dug for the purpose of supplying material to a brick- 
yard in the village, but they have not been worked for many years. 
It will thus be seen that in their inland development the Upper 
and Middle Neocomian of Yorkshire have afforded no sections, the 
strata being covered by a great thickness of drift; of the Lower 
Neocomian, however, several of the beds are exposed inland at 
Reighton, West Heslerton, and Knapton ; and at the last-mentioned 
place we observe the junction between the Neocomian and Jurassic 
beds. The relations of the strata of the Vale of Pickering are illus- 
trated in the accompanying sketch map (Pl. XXIII. fig. 3), and in 
the section (fig. 2) drawn along the escarpment of the Wolds. 
III. Tar Nrocomian Jron-orzs oF LIncoLNsHIRE. 
In 1867 I described the Middle Neocomian, or Tealby Series, of 
Lincolnshire as containing beds of valuable iron-ore. Since that date 
the West Yorkshire Coal and Iron Company have opened a mine 
near Acre House, between Claxby and Nettleton, and the expecta- 
tions that I entertained of being able to obtain new light on the 
stratigraphical relations and the fossil-contents of these very inter-— 
esting beds have been to some extent realized. 
The existence in this district of fragments of iron-slag, calcined 
ore, and charcoal, associated with Roman pottery, indicates that these 
ores were known and worked at a very early period. 
The only ironstone in this district which is now found suffi- 
VOL, XXVI.—PART I. 2A 
