2U 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



As contrasted with this local origin of the Lower Permian rocks of (.'eiitral 

 England, it was sho^v^i that the sedimentary materials of wliicli the Triassic 

 Rocks are formed must have been diifted by an ancient oceanic current from a 

 continent or large tract of land occupying the position of the North Atlantic, and 

 that the sediment was spread over the plains of England as long as it was mecha- 

 nically suspended. The increasing distance towards the south-east from the 

 som-ce of supply, accounted for the tailing out of the sediment. Diu-ing the 

 Bunter Sandstone period, this sediment was drifted through the channel formed 

 by the great headlands of Westmoreland and North Wales ; but, as the whole 

 area was gi-adually sinking (with occasional interruptions) during the periods of 

 the Upper Trias and succeedmg formations, the Welsh and Cumbrian mountains 

 nnist have been nearly covered by sea at the close of the Liassic period. 



The author adduced the following reasons for considering that the Bunter 

 Sandstone of England formed dry land dming the deposition ©f the Muschelkalk 

 of Germany. 



1st. That the Lower Keuper Sandstone rests on an eroded surface of the 

 Bunter ; 2d, that the basement-bed of the Keu})cr is frequently a breccia or 

 sliingle-beach ; and 3d, that there is a local luiconformity observable in Stafford, 

 Leicester, and Lancasliire, bet^^•een these formations. 



The author described the distribution of the quartzose conglomerates which 

 form the middle division of the Bunter, and considers it probable that they are 

 the reconstructed materials of the Old Red Conglomerate of Scotland. 



The probable extension of coal-measures from the coal-fields of England to those 

 of Belgium and France was considered, as also the bearing of the w^liole subject 

 on Mr. Godwin- Austen's theory of the extension of coal-measures under the chalk 

 of the Thames Valley ; and it was inferred that coal-measures might possibly be 

 found at not unapproachable depths under parts of Oxford and Northamptonshire. 

 It was also shomi, that, from indications presented by the coal-formation at the 

 southern borders of the Staffordshire and Warwickshire coal-field, there was reason 

 to suspect that the formation becomes attenuated and less productive of valuable 

 coal-beds in its extension towards the south-eastern districts. 



The paper was illustrated by a series of comparative horizontal sections across 

 the midland counties. 



Geologists' Association. — 4. — The fom-tli ordinary meeting was held at 

 the Society's Rooms, 5, Cavendish Square, Br. Hyde Clarke, V.P., in the chair. 

 A very interesting paper was read by the Rev. T. Wiltshire, M.A., F.G.S., Presi- 

 dent of the Association, on " The Red Chalk of England." It was stated that 

 the red clialk occurs in situ only in the counties of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and 

 Norfolk. It is first seen at Speeton, about six miles from Flamborough Head, in 

 Yorkslm-e, where it rests unconformably upon the Speeton clay and underlies the 

 white chalk. It is there about 30 feet, which appears to be the gi-eatest thickness 

 it attains, and is traceable from Speeton in a westerly direction for about 20 miles, 

 wlien, turning at a sharp angle, it proceeds across Yorkshire towards the south- 

 east, and disappears below the marsh-land, about seven miles to the west of Hull. 

 It re-appears at Ferraby, in Lincolnshire, and there may be traced across Lincoln- 

 slnre mitil it is cut off by the Wash, on the south shore of which,— at Hmistanton, 

 in Norfolk,— it is again found, and may be traced from that place to a few miles 

 north of Lynn, after which it is seen no more. In Lincolnshire and Norfolk it 

 underiies tlie white chalk, and rests upon a dark pebbly mass which is supposed to 

 belong to the lower greensand. At Hmistanton it is only 4 feet in thickness, and 

 assumes a tUfferent charactei- from that which it presents at Speeton, being much 

 harder, darker in colour, and containing pebbles, which are not seen in the red 

 chalk of the latter place. The red chalk appears to be very fossiliferous, containing 

 serpukv, terebratula^ corals, sponges, belenmites, &c. ; and from the circumstance 

 of some of the belenmites being of species characteristic of the gault, the autlior 

 considered tlie red chalk as the equivalent of that formation. Fragments more or 

 loss rolled had l)een found in the drift at IMuswell Hill; from which it was inferred 

 that the red t-lialk must liave at one time existed in large masses over a consider- 

 able tract ot Ciumtry. Tliese fragments appeared to be,' in mineral character, and 



