CLAYS or BOVEY TEACEY, DEVONSHIEE. 
1035 
it, shown me by one of the old workmen, displayed the common woody character so 
usnal at Bovey, but no traces of leaves or other fossils. There appear to have been 
seven distinct beds of lignite alternating with as many of clay, the latter from 2 to 4 feet 
thick. Of the former, the lowest were the most compact, and were from 3 to 3^ feet in 
thickness, whilst the upper ones were thinner and contained a considerable admixture 
of clay. The whole were covered, unconformably, with gravel to the depth of 20 feet. 
Clay is largely dug at the Decoy, in the parish of Woolborough, about half a mile 
south-west of the Newton railway station. In an artificial dyke, or water-com’se, two 
beds of lignite, separated by a layer of black clay, are well exposed. The entire cutting 
is about 10 feet deep, the uppermost three feet being coarse gravel surmounted by a thin 
layer of peat. The larger stones in the gravel are commonly flint and chert, the smaller 
are partly, perhaps mainly, Dartmoor debris. Beneath this are the Bovey beds dipping 
towards north 80° East, at an angle of 60° at the top and 50° at the bottom, the 
beds having somewhat curved surfaces. The western, or lowest bed of lignite is 9 feet 
thick, the eastern 6 feet, and the intermediate clay about 5 feet ; the whole lies between 
clay similar to the interstratifled bed. Fmther west, or still lower, is a valuable bed of 
“ pipeclay,” whilst on the eastern side is a good bed of the black, or “ potter’s clay.” 
Though we spent some days seeking fossils here, the only things found were two small 
bodies, probably seeds, and one undoubted twig, with leaves, of Sequoia Couttsioe. The 
latter, though a very inferior specimen of this fossil, is valuable as a link of identifica- 
tion between the lignite of the Decoy and that of Bovey Tracey. 
Considerable quantities of both white and black clay are also excavated in the parish 
of Kingsteignton, about two miles north of Newton, very near the eastern margin of the 
deposit. I measured the following section in one of Mr. Whitewat’s “ black pits.” 
Beds. 
Thickness, 
ft. in. 
Section 6, of the Bovey Deposit near Kingsteignton. 
Totals, 
ft. in. 
1 
1.5 
0 
15 
0 
“Head,” consisting of angular and subangular flint, chert, and Dartmoor 
dehris. 
2 
2 
8 
17 
8 
Clay. — Black. “ Hot Saving.” 
3 
1 
6 
19 
2 
Clay with LioiaTE. 
4 
4 
0 
23 
2 
Clay aij-d S-aild. — Contains root-like portions of lignite. 
5 
4 
0 
27 
2 
“ Shovel ” Sahd. — Thickness variable. 
6 
8 
0 
35 
2 
Clay. — Black. “ Saviug.” 
7 
3 
0 
38 
2 
Clay. — Black. “ Short.” Thickness variable. 
8 
12 
0 
50 
2 
“ Bottoh ” Clay. — “ Saving.” 
9 
Thickness unknown. 
Sand. 
The workmen denominate the clay “Saving” or “Not Saving,” according as it has 
or has not a commercial value. Sand so loose as to be capable of removal by the use 
of a spade or shovel only, is termed “ Shovel ” Sand. Clay but slightly plastic is spoken 
of as “Short;” and “Bottom” Clay expresses the fact that no argillaceous deposit, 
having commercial value, is found below it. 
None of the workmen appear to have found or heard of anything in the shape of 
MDCCCLXII. 7 B 
