SCIENTIFIC NEWS* 
depressed, by some unknown force applied Jto them subse- 
quently to the formation of the bed of London clay. 
If a line in the direction of the central ridge of the Isle of 
Wight, be extended westwards with Dorsetshire, it will be found 
to coincide nearly with the direction of a ridge running from 
Handfast point to Lu’lworth, and with that already described, 
and which therefore may be considered as a continuation of this 
former. 
The nearest tract of chalk to the north of this ridge, is the 
South Downs, the strata of which, together with their super- 
imposed beds, up to the London clay, dip gently to the south. 
Hence the space between may be considered as a great basin or 
hollow, occasioned, probably, by the rupture and subsidence of 
strata originally horizontal. 
Within this basis, at its southern edge, that is, on the northern 
coast of the Isle of Wight, occurs a large mass of horizontal 
strata, in many parts visibly resting on the edges of the ele- 
vated strata above-mentioned, and, therefore, belonging to a 
period subsequent to that in which the formation of the basin 
took place. This horizontal deposit differs in its geological 
situation, in its mineralogical characters, and in the fossils 
which it contains, from any others that have hitherto been dis- 
covered in England, but remarkably corresponds in many of its 
members with the beds found in the basin of Paris, and re- 
cently described by MM. Cuvier and Brongniart, authenticated 
specimens of which, sent by the latter of these gentlemen te 
the Count de Bournon, have been by him deposited in the cabi- 
net of the Geological Society. 
These beds, as they appear in the Isle of Wight, constitute 
four formations ; the first of which, is the lowest fresh water 
formation j the second is the upper marine formation j the 
third is the upper fresh water formation, and the fourth, or 
superficial, is an alluvial bed. 
The particulars of these are described in the subsequent 
part of Mr. Webster’s paper, which has not yet been read 
before the Society. 
Account 
