CLIFFS NEAR SOUTHBOURN. 
I6i2 
covered with rubbly marl of a greenish-yellow 
colour ; the latter being twelve, and the former 
six feet in thickness. Approaching the sea-houses, 
the firestone occupies the middle of the cliff, rest- 
ing on grey marl six feet thick, with scarcely any 
intermixture of sand : chalk marl, regularly strati- 
fied, lies above it; and were we to judge of the 
geological character of the firestone from this lo- 
cality only, we should certainly consider it to be a 
subordinate bed of the chalk mark* At the sea- 
houses, the firestone gradually descends and forms 
the base of the cliffs, which are there of an in- 
considerable height ; the buildings along the sea- 
shore obscure the strata to the eastward, and pre- 
vent the junction of the firestone and gait from 
being seen ; specimens of the latter are observed, 
however, on the shore at low water, and it rises to 
the surface not far from the library. The fossils 
SECTION OF THE CLIFFS NEAR SOUTHBOURN. 
discovered in the firestone of Southbourn are, with 
but few exceptions, similar to those which are 
common in the chalk marl ; viz. ammonites va- 
rians, mantelli, &c., turrilites, scaphites, &c. 
In attempting to trace the firestone through the 
interior of the county, we find its course, in many 
localities, but obscurely indicated, and in some, the 
prevalence of a few green particles in the lower 
* See tlie section of the cliffs at Sonthboiirn in the plate. 
