200 LIAS OF ENGLAND AM) WALES: 
The Upper Lias is persistent wherever the strata can be ob- 
served in the area between Ilminster and Yeovil, and again between 
Yeovil and Castle Gary, although it has been shown on the Geo- 
logical Survey Map only over a small area near Sandford Orcas 
and Gorton Denham, where it was surveyed by Bristow. 
The fact that the Upper Lias comprises sandy shales much like 
those beds below the Marlstone, has led to some inconsistency in 
the mapping of this region. At the same time, judging from the 
observations of Moore and Bristow, the Upper Lias appears to be 
very thin in some places in the areas above mentioned. 
Whether these sandy shales represent the zone of Ammmdtcs 
communis, or, as is more likely, partly that zone and portions of the 
zone of A. jnrensis can only be determined on fossil evidence, and 
that at present is not forthcoming. 
A pit north-west of Trent Barren-, north-east of Trent, showed 
the following section : 
FT. IN. 
f~ Ferruginous loam and clay - - * 3 
Pale grey and bluish mottled earthy lime- 
stone - 6 
J 
Grey marly clay, with Ammonites communis, 
j A. bifrons, Belemnites - .08 
] Earthy iron-stained limestones, with A. com- "> 
munis, Belemnites, Pentacrinus - 
Nodular ochreous marl and limestone 
Pale earthy limestone and marl - - \ nil 
^Grey marly clay with nodules of limestone J 
f Tough brown and grey sparry limestone,^ 
with pale grey marly stone, on top, in 
Middle Lias -<( places, and compact pale limestone- 
| kernels. Oolitic in places. Belemnites - 
[ Clayey beds. 
The Marlslone is here quarried for road-metal. The Upper 
Lias " rubbish " is not now used, although Moore noted two layers 
of building-stone. Ammonites serpentinus and A. annulatt/s, 
occurred in the debris. 
In sections near Rimptonand Sandford Orcas, Moore noted the 
presence, above the Marlstone, of the Leptcena Beds, Saurian and 
Fish Bed, and " Upper Cephalopoda Beds," as previously noted 
in sections near Ilminster ; but as he observes, the equivalents of 
these " zones " cannot always be recognized in the area. 
In his section at the " Home Ground Quarry," Compton (now 
closed, but probably situated between Over Compton and Nether 
Compton), Moore stated that the highest band of Upper Lias 
stone was much eroded, while resting on it was dark clay with 
oolitic grains (2 inches), and mottled brown clay (2 feet). These 
overlying beds he grouped with the " Inferior Oolite." Sections 
elsewhere show " piping " of the rock -beds ; and this was probably 
the case with the bed in question, and the overlying clays should 
rather be grouped with the Upper Lias. 
The Basement Beds of the Upper Lias were exposed above the 
Marlstone near Sutton Montis, but afforded no special features. 
