148 
THE MIDDLE LIAS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE. 
This “ open communication between neighbouring cell- 
elements ” and “ continuity of tlieir protoplasmic body,” 
which Prof. Tangl ventured to hope would be found in 
objects other than those in which he describes it, has in the 
last three years been shown to exist in such widely-different 
plants and parts of plants as to lend foundation to a broader 
hypothesis of the protoplasmic unity of the entire vegetal 
organism. 
(To be continued). 
THE MIDDLE LIAS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE. 
BY BEEBY THOMPSON, F.C.S., F.G.S. 
Part I. 
(Continued from page 139.) 
The parts of the Lias then that I am about to describe 
include the following divisions :— 
1. —The Transition Bed. 
2. —The Zone of Ammonites Spinatus. 
8.—The Zone of Ammonites Margaritatus. 
These divisions include twelve distinct beds, six of them being 
fairly hard and six soft. Below is what may be regarded as 
a typical section for the county, or perhaps I should say the 
west and south-western parts of the county, for there only 
can all these beds be seen. 
Typical Section of the Middle Lias of Northamptonshire. 
“Transition” Bed. 
Aver, thickness. 
Ft. In. 
A. — Soft grey marl, or stone, passing upwards into red 
sandy clay, containing Ammonites cicutus and 
small yasteropods in great abundance ... ... 0 6 
“ Spinatus ” Zone. 
B. —Rock bed.—A calcareous and ferruginous rock, 
containing Ehynclionella tetrahedra , Terebratula 
punctata , Pecten ecquivalvis , and large Belemnites , 
all in great abundance ... ... ... ... G 0 
Springs nearly always met with. 
C. —Marly clay, containing concretionary ferruginous 
nodules .2 0 
