GEMS OP PRIVATE COLLECTIONS. 



449 



tlie weald clay of Sussex is named P. Sussexiensis by Sowerby, 

 in the Geol. Transact., 2 ser,, vol. iv., p. 178, pi. 22, fig. 6. 



Otber Palndina, but of smaller size, are found in the wealden beds, 

 namely, P. carinifera, (Sow. Min. Conch., pi. 509, fig. 3 ; and Greol. 

 Trans., 2 ser., vol. iv., p. 178) ; and P. elongata, (Sow. Min. Conch., 

 pi. 509, fig. 2.) Fig. 1, of the same plate, shows a similar Paludina for 

 East Peckham. 



The Uniones of the Sussex marble appear to be Unio compress2ts, 

 (Sow. Min. Conch,, pi. 594., fig. I, and U. antiqtms, Sow. Min. Conch, 

 pi. 594, figs. 3, 4, 5. The specimen figured in our plate (pi. xiv.), is 

 probably the latter. 



The other Wealdeu Unios are Unio aduncus, (Sow. M. 0., pi. 595, 

 fig. 2) ; TT. cordiformis, (Sow., M. C, pi. 595, fig. 1) ; TT. porreckis, 

 (Sow., M. C, pi. 594, fig. 1) ; Z7. Vcddensis, (Sow., M. C, pi. 646) ; 

 U. Mantellii, (Sow., aeol. Trans., 2 ser., vol. iv., pi. 21, fig. 14) ; 

 TJ. suhtruncahis, (Sow., ibid. fig. 15) ; Z7. Gatdterii, (Sow., ibid., fig. 

 16 ; and U. Martini, (Sow., ibid., fig. 17.) Several of these are from 

 the sandy beds far below the weald clay, that is, in the Hastings 

 sands and their associated beds. 



The Bethersden Marble used to be very extensively for build- 

 ing, and for making long narrow causeways along the wet and muddy 

 roads of the wealds of Kent, Sussex, and Surry ; but in both respects 

 it is now less used. There is an account of this stone and its localities 

 by Dr. GrifP Hartley, entitled, " On Fossil shells in Kent," to be 

 found in Mr. Lovfthorp's Abridgment of the Philosophical Transac- 

 tions, 4th Edit., vol., vi, p. 426. This old-fashioned philosopher refers 

 to the Paludina bed in the blue clay " at Hinton, five miles from 

 Maidstone, in Kent ;" and at " Pluckley, in the wild of Kent." 



At the former place, Unios, (or, as they are termed, " bivalvular 

 stones,") appear to be rather numerous (as they were, indeed, near 

 Plucldey and Bethersden) ; but the " turbinated," or " Avreathed 

 conchites," formed the majority. We may remark that Dr. Gr. Plartley, 

 according to the mode of the day, found good reasons " for their never 

 having been the spoils of animals ;" but stones (" lapides sui generis"), 

 formed, perhaps, of " the salts of plants or animal bodies, washed down 

 with rain, and lodged under ground," and " disposed into such little 

 figures !" 



T. R. J. 



VOL. nr. 



