Page:Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London, vol. 26.djvu/320

212 PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. [Jan. 12, though between Stratford-on-Avon and Evesham they appear to contain fewer flints in proportion to the rest of their constituents than the deposits of a similar class occurring higher up and lower down the valley. The width of the beds from above Stoneleigh to Evesham is on an average about f mile. Between Evesham and Tewkesbury they attain their maximum superficial development, having a width of about 1| mile. The average thickness of the beds, taken from measurements in eighteen different localities, is 7 ft., their maximum thickness being 12 ft. The inner margins of the beds form in most cases banks about 3 ft. in height above the surface of the modern alluvium. I have no positive evidence to show whether the gravel-beds pass under the latter; but from accounts which I have received of several borings made down to the basement-rock in different localities, it would appear that no gravel was met with. As Strickland formerly remarked, this description of Drift appears to be made up of the other three kinds, viz. the " quartzose, the " flinty," and the " local" drifts. The bed resting on the basement-rock is in most cases composed of sand, which fills up the furrows occurring in the rock.

By means of levels taken at different points across the valley, near Fladbury and Cropthorne, I have been enabled to group together the isolated patches of gravel occurring thereabouts, as will be seen in the following Table :—

Approximate heights above the river feet.

Localities situated on the Right Bank of the River.

Railway-cutting, Fladbury 30 Gravel-pit in the Eector's Meld, Fladbury 25

Gravel-pit near the outer edge of the modern alluvium, Spring Hill 10

Gravel -pit on north side of Farm-house, Spring Hill 20 Gravel-pit on east side of same 21 Gravel-pit near Moore 23 LBallast-pit near Wyre 25

Localities situated on the Left Bank of the River.

Bank of gravel adjoining the modern alluvium, Fern Hill 14 Gravel-pit in farm-yard, Charlton 29 Ballast-pit, near Charlton 30 Gravel-pit near Cropthorne Ford 21 Gravel-pit in North Charlton Field 25
 * Gravel-pit near the "New Inn," Cropthorne 40
 * Old Brickyard near Bricklehampton Bank (about) 37
 * [ Gravel-pit on top of river-bank, near Wick 31
 * [ Gravel- pit near Little Comberton 40

Borne of the localities (bracketed together) are situated on the same plateau of gravel, whilst others are cut off from it by the valleys of small streams. The beds where the localities marked by asterisks occur do not appear to be connected in an obvious manner with the rest. I may therefore, perhaps, be allowed to describe them more in detail.

Cropthorne Heath, where the drift-gravel containing the light-coloured sand is found, occupies a central position with regard to the