214 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



were brought up with the augur, when we came to chalk, through which we 

 pierced to the depth of twenty feet. _ 



It is observable that the water which stood at the level of twenty-three feet 

 from the surface, was not at all increased by penetrating this tenaceous clay 

 into the chalk. Several wells have been bored in the neighbourhood of 

 Minster through this strata, and water has risen to the surface ; but in every 

 case the depth through, the chalk was greater, though the total depch less. — 

 G. Dowker, Stourmouth-house. 



Notes on the Geology oe the Country round Newport Pagnall. — 

 Sir, — As I do not think much is known of the geology of this part of the 

 country, I have made a brief summary of the chief features of the vicinity of 

 Newport Pagnall, which I hope may be interesting. Just before reaching 

 Wolverton (the nearest railway station to Newport), the train passes over a 

 bridge built of forest marble, which is much quarried in the neighbourhood, 

 being used both for road purposes and building-stone. The limestone abounds 

 in shells and vegetable remains. Wolverton station is situated on the Oxford 

 clay, in which, when the cuttings were being made, many fossils were found — 

 the usual forms, such as ammonites, belemnites, grypkeee, ostrese, &c, prepon- 

 derating. The nacreous or pearly shell still remained entire on the ammonites, 

 which were in a good state of preservation. In some places a thick layer of 

 drift-clay covered the substratum; in this remains of ammonites and echinites, 

 evidently from the chalk and greensand, were found. 



If the road towards Newport Pagnall be taken from "Wolverton, the village 

 of Great Lindford will be passed, where, in digging a well, some workmen 

 found the bones of plesiosauri. But all around the town of Newport Pagnall 

 itself, the Oxford clay is greatly developed, and a great many clay-pits have 

 been dug in the brickfields ; in these the vertebras and other bones, teeth, &c, 

 of saurians, and the palatal-teeth of cartilaginous fishes are frequently found, 

 with ammonites, belemnites, trigoniee, and many bivalve shells ; also the 

 remains of coniferous trees and carbonized wood. The following is a section 

 of one of the most productive clay-pits near Newport Pagnall. 



No. 1 is a layer of light-brown clay, with 

 flints and fragments of a concretionary lime- 

 stone, in which I have occasionally found 

 fossils, such as portions of Ammonites Callo- 

 viensis, alarise, &c, which are characteristic of 

 the Kelloway rock. No bones are found at a 

 less depth than twelve or fourteen feet from 

 the surface, that is to say only in the clay 

 marked 4. The laminated clays 3 and 4 abound 

 in ammonites compressed between the layers. 

 Septaria are sometimes found in the clay, and 

 abundance of selenite and iron-pyrites, from the 

 decomposition of which the crystalized sulphate 

 of lime has doubtless proceeded by the action 

 of the liberated sulphuric acid or the calcareous 

 particles of the clay. 



From Newport Pagnall the Oxford clay takes 

 a north-west direction towards Olney, and the 

 borders of Bedfordshire ; but its course is much 

 concealed by beds of alluvial gravel of great 

 thickness, which extend over a large tract of 

 country. This gravel is largely employed for 

 mending the roads, consequently there are 

 several pits dug. It abounds in fossils (chiefly oolitic). I have also found 



Vegetable soil. 



Clay with peb- 

 bles, &c. 



Clay with car- 

 bonized wood. 



Laminated clay 

 with ammo- 

 nites, &c. 



Laminated clay 

 with saurian- 

 bones. &c. 



Section of clay-pit , Newport 

 Pagnall. 



