By Professor J. Buckman, F.L.S., F.G.S. 



161 



ations to penetrate before arriving at the usual position of coal- 

 bearing beds. There would be in descending order, as follows : — 



1st. The Oxford clay with its basement of Kelloway rock. 



2nd. Cornbrash. 



3rd. Forest marble. 



4th. The Great Oolite beds. 



5th. The Fullers* earth. 



6th. The Inferior Oolite beds. 



7th. The Lias formation. 



8th. New Eed Sandstone group. 



The aggregate thickness of which would not fall far short of 

 3,000 yards. Here, then, it became evident that it would be rash 

 in the extreme to recommend any operations in search of coal, as 

 even if it were proved to exist below the formations cited it would 

 be far beyond a mining depth, and besides we are quite without 

 evidence of its quantity or value. In this case it will be seen that 

 although geological evidence was not sought until after much 

 money had been expended in what is called a practical way, yet 

 that a first inquiry by the geologist would have settled the matter ; 

 and that, without the slightest recourse to mining operations and 

 their concomitant heavy expenses. 



