mouth of the Tees to Scarborough the cliffs, which are always washed by the sea at high-water, and in some parts at low-water also, are generally from 70 to 150 feet high, and often rise abruptly and overhang the beach. In many places they are still higher, and at Stoupe Brow, or, as it is more commonly called, Stow Brow, on the south side of Robin Hood's Bay, and about seven miles south of Whitby, they rise to the height of 893 feet above the sea. In the vicinity of the elevated promontory of Flamborough Head there are also cliffs of the height of 100 feet, and in some places as much as 150 feet.

measured in a straight line, the coast, which consists of cliffs abounding in fossils, runs in a very irregular line towards the south-east, without presenting any place of importance. One of the cliffs, about seven miles northwest of Whitby, is marked by Greenough as having once taken fire, and continued to burn for two years. At Whitby, which is situated at the mouth of the river Esk, is a harbour which, though exposed to gales from the east, has been so much improved as to be capable of carrying on a considerable trade. A few miles south-east of Whitby the coast-line turns rather more to the south, and is indented slightly by the dangerous bay called Robin Hood's From Spurn Head westward to the confluence of the Bay, towards the southern extremity of which, not far from Ouse and the Trent, a distance in a right line of about 35 the coast, is a hill popularly called Robin Hood's Butts. miles, the southern boundary of the county is formed by From this point the coast proceeds south-south-east to the Humber; and although the line is very irregular, s Scarborough, where an elevated promontory which pro- general course is westward, inclining a little to the north. jects abruptly towards the east, with an arm towards the From this point to the junction of the counties of York south, forms a semicircular harbour, which is much used Derby, and Nottingham, a further distance of about 35 for shelter from the easterly gales that are common along miles, the general direction of the boundary is to the the Yorkshire coast, and which forms the only port of any south-west; and the northern portion of this line is formed consequence between Whitby and the mouth of the Hum- by the Old Don river, while the remaining part, which ber. The distance between Scarborough and Whitby, in a passes near Bawtry and Tickhill, is for the most part straight line, is about 17 miles; and from Scarborough marked by any natural feature. Along the boundary of Bay, south of the harbour, the coast-line again inclines Derbyshire and the small part of Cheshire which separate more to the east, to the prominent point which is variously that county from Lancashire, the line of separation, whi called Filey Point, Filey Head, and Filey Bridge, near the is occasionally marked by some unimportant stream, has a boundary-line between the North and East Ridings. Im- general direction to the north-west, and passes a lite mediately south of Filey Point is Filey Bay, from which south of Sheffield, and across the elevated and mounta the coast runs in a nearly straight line by Speeton Cliff to ous district called the Peak of Derbyshire. [DERBYSHIR Flamborough Head, which forms the extremity of a range vol. viii., p. 416.] From the north-western extremity of chalk cliffs, of brilliant whiteness, about six miles long, this portion of the boundary, which is between 35 and and rising in many places to an elevation of 300 feet. At miles from end to end, the line runs nearly due north! the base of these cliffs are some extensive caverns, and more than 25 miles, and then, after turning westward fo near the extremity of the promontory, on a site about 250 few miles, joins the Ribble about 4 miles above Clither feet above the level of the sea, is a lighthouse which was Pursuing the course of that river to Mitton, towards erected by the Trinity House corporation in 1806, and south-west, it again suddenly turns north-west along which has a revolving light of sufficient intensity to be course of its feeder, the little river Hodder; and the seen from a distance of 30 miles at sea. In thirty-six years touching upon Bleasdale Moor, takes an irregular ce preceding the erection of this important lighthouse, there to the north to near Sedbergh. For a short distance the were no less than 174 wrecks in the immediate vicinity, county is separated from Westmoreland by the river L but its establishment has almost put an end to such casual- which the boundary-line leaves about 5 miles above Se ties. The eligibility of the spot for the establishment of a bergh. It then turns to the east, and again, by a very en beacon would seem to have been observed long before a regu-cuitous line, to the north, to the junction of the count lar lighthouse was placed there, as the name of the village of Flamborough is supposed to be derived from the practice of placing a light or flame at that point in early times. From Flamborough Head, which is 18 or 19 miles in a direct line from Scarborough, and about 55 miles from the mouth of the Tees, measured in like manner, the coast-line turns westward, and then sweeping round to the south, forms the capacious bay called Bridlington Bay, upon the coast of which the sea has made such encroachments as to gradually sweep away the villages of Auburn, Hartburn, and Hyde. In this bay there is a small but sheltered harbour, defended by two batteries, at Bridlington Quay, which is about a mile south-east of the town of Bridlington. From Bridlington Quay to the sharp-pointed promontory which terminates in the Spurn Head or Point, and which forms the northern boundary of the estuary of the Humber, the coastline is unbroken by any important inlet or projection, and is mostly very low and exposed to the inroads of the sea. Greenough marks the sites of two churches, those of Owthorne and Kilnsey, in the south-eastern part of this portion of coast, the ruins of which are partially washed away by the sea. At Spurn Head, which is about 40 miles south by east from Flamborough Head, and which consists of a long low promontory turning towards the south-west, partly across the æstuary of the Humber, and terminates in what may be called an island, two lighthouses have been erected. In consequence of the very low level of the land in the vicinity of this promontory, which is the Ocellum Promontorium of Ptolemy, the Humber formerly made considerable encroachments upon it; but of late it has receded so much as to leave extensive tracts of marsh land. One of these, a few miles westward of the Spurn Head, began to appear as an island about the commencement of the reign of Charles I., and, increasing from year to year, it was at length embanked and converted into pasture. In the Population Returns of 1841 this tract of land, which, though now only separated by a ditch from the mainland, retains the name of Sunk Island, is stated to contain 5550 acres and 264 inhabitants. The northern part of the coast-line of Yorkshire is rocky, and from the

of York, Westmoreland, and Durham, where it joins the river Tees, at a point about 50 miles west by north fr Tod Point, the northern extremity of the Yorkshire coline. The Tees, flowing by Barnard Castle, Yarm, Stockton, forms the northern boundary of the county te this point to the sea.

The boundary of the North Riding is coincident that of the county on the north-east, north, and part of the west; but leaving the latter at a point about 22 miles so of the junction of Westmoreland and Durham, and 7 or miles east by north of Sedbergh, the former pursues irregular course east by south to the river Ure, or Yore a point 2 or 3 miles below Masham, and then follows'e course of that stream to Ripon, where it turns off towar the east. It rejoins the river above Boroughbridge Aldborough, and follows its course as far as York, where and for some miles higher up, the river is called the O It then turns east, and afterwards north-east, to the De went, which it joins at Stamford Bridge, and ascending the course of that river by New Malton, to one of t sources near the coast, reaches the sea a little north-we of Filey Head. The line which divides the West Riding from the Ainsty and the East Riding commences at Na Monkton, at the junction of the Ouse and the Nidd, and runs south-west to near Wetherby, partly along the couse of the latter river. It then joins the river Wharfe, 1 runs along its course to the south-east as far as Cawood where both the river and the boundary-line join the Ouse. which proceeds in the same direction by Selby to the boundary of the county at the point where the Ouse and Trent unite to form the Humber. The Ainsty of the cit of York, which by the Reform Act is united with the North Riding, is bounded on the north-east by the Oue from York to the river Nidd, on the north-west and southwest by the boundary of the West Riding, and on the eas by the river Ouse from Cawood to York; and its eastern boundary, with the boundaries of the North and Wes Ridings, the south-eastern portion of the coast-line, and the north shore of the Humber, form the boundaries of the East Riding.

YOR

669

Description of the Surface, &c.-The most striking feature in the conformation of the surface of this county is the great valley drained by the Ouse and its tributaries, which stretches from near the Tees, in the northern part of the county, to the estuary of the Humber in the south, having a general direction from north to south-south-east, and forming the northern slope of the most extensive valley in England, that of the Ouse and Trent. The high land on the eastern boundary of this valley, extending from the Tees to the Humber, forms, as has been previously stated, a bold coast-line, from which, in the northern part of the county, the surface rises, in some parts very suddenly, to a great elevation. In the description of this valley and iose its boundaries, in the Physical and Political Geography of Great Britain,' in the Library of Useful Knowledge,' it is observed that south of the estuary of the Tees we find the commencement of the high lands, which in some places stretch inwards to a distance of from 20 to 30 miles from the coast, in Barnaby Moor, which has an elevation of 784 feet, in the trigonometrical station of Burleigh Moor, and, a little farther south, in the Guisborough Hills. These high lands run down to the sea-coast at Huntcliff, and also by the Easington Heights, about midway between the Tees and Whitby, where is a trigonometrical station at an elevation of 681 feet, to Rocliff, or Rockliff, a little farther south. A small depression in the high moors, opening to the sea at Whitby, carries off the drainage of the small valley of the Esk, which runs between the Guisborough Hills and the elevated Egton Moors, which lie outh of it. These form part of a series of barren elevalions which extend from the bold and lofty coast south of Whitby to within about 5 miles of Northallerton, a distance of about 30 miles from the coast. The whole tract of the Eastern Moorlands, extending about 30 miles from east to rest, and 15 miles from north to south, is a wild and moun | ainous district, intersected by numerous picturesque and ertile valleys, and forming an escarpment towards the vest, which sweeps round towards the south and east from he vicinity of Northallerton to Malton on the Derwent, orming a line tolerably parallel, in its general direction, with that of the coast. North of Northallerton, where the carped extremity of the highlands turns eastward, it overooks the vale of Cleveland, which slopes down to the Tees. ising to the height in many places of upwards of 1000 eet, the general aspect of this district, which is someimes called the North York Moors, is bleak and dreary, specially as it is almost entirely destitute of trees. On he various roads which intersect the district extensive nd dreary wastes present themselves, with no boundary ut the horizon; but towards the northern and western scarpments of the moorlands there are some very beautiful rospects. The steepest side of the elevations is generally o the north and west, and the most gradual slope on the outh. Among the most elevated points of this mounainous region are the trigonometrical stations of Botton Elead (1485 feet, Loosehoe Hill (1404 feet), and Black | Hambleton, on the western escarpment (1246 feet). Anther remarkable summit, which is celebrated as a landmark, and as commanding a most extensive and beautiful dew, is the mountain called Roseberry Topping, the height of which is given by Greenough as 1102 feet (but by some ther authorities as 1022 feet), near the road from Guisborough to Stokesley, on the northern escarpment of the high lands. The southern portion of the ridge of hills which forms the western extremity of this hilly district, and the eastern boundary of the Ouse valley, is sometimes called the Howardian Hills, and immediately east of this range is the valley which, from the river running through it, bears the name of Ryedale. Still farther eastward are the East and West Marishes, which form, with Ryedale, an extensive level, broken towards the south by some isolated elevations, and rising gradually to the high lands in the north, between the Eastern Moorlands and the valley of the Derwent.

0

The valley of the Derwent, which descends from near the sea-coast, in the neighbourhood of Scarborough, and, inclining towards the south-west, falls into the valley of the Ouse, separates the Eastern Moorlands from the Yorkshire Wolds, which form the continuation of the high lands on the east side of the valley of the Ouse. One portion of this range extends from the neighbourhood of Malton, on the Derwent, to the Humber, near Hessle, a few miles west of Hull, following a course very nearly parallel with the coast-line, and terminating to the south

|

The

in an escarpment which seems to push the river a little
out of its direct course, and which commands most beau-
tiful and diversified views, embracing the great æstuary of
the Humber and the opposite shores of Lincolnshire, as
well as the low lands of Yorkshire on each side of the
range. Upon this portion of the Wolds are the elevated
points of Wilton Beacon, about twelve miles east by north
from York, with an elevation of 809 feet, and Hunsley
Beacon, farther south, with an elevation of 531 feet. The
other division of the Wolds extends from the vicinity of
Malton in an easterly direction to Flamborough Head,
forming the southern side of the Derwent valley.
ascent of the Wolds, excepting on their eastern side, is
generally steep, but they seldom rise to an elevation ex-
ceeding 600 feet, and they are broken and divided by many
deep winding valleys. Although their southern extremity
presents the finest prospects, there are many points on the
range from which beautiful views may be obtained of the
vale of York, the low grounds between the Wolds and
Spurn Head, and the valley of the Derwent, beyond which
the Eastern Moorlands rise in the background. Flam-
borough Head, which forms the most prominent point on
the coast, is not the most elevated of the cliffs which
mark the eastern extremity of the Wolds. Their highest
point is at Bempton Cliff, a few miles farther north, which
rises to an elevation of 436 feet. Speeton Cliff, about mid-
way between Flamborough Head and Filey Point, is the
extreme northern limit of the great chalk formation which
stretches, almost without interruption, across the island to
the south-west coast, at Sidmouth in Devonshire. On the
eastern side the chalk Wolds terminate in a line which,
commencing near Bridlington, and running south-west for
a short distance, curves round to the south, and, passing
near Driffield and Beverley, reaches the Humber between
Hessle and Hull. The portion of the county which lies
between this range on the north and west, the ocean on
the east, and the Humber on the south and south-west,
forms the low district of Holderness, the highest point of
which, at Dimlington Heights, on the coast, is less than
150 feet above high-water.

Notwithstanding its generally low level, the peninsular
district of Holderness is agreeably diversified in surface,
especially towards the sea-coast, within a short distance of
which, close to the town of Hornsea, is the largest lake of
the county, called Hornsea Mere, about a mile and three-
quarters long, and three-quarters of a mile broad at the
widest part. The western side of Holderness is distin-
guished by a fenny district known by the provincial name
of 'The Cars,' which extends nearly 20 miles from north to
south, with an average breadth of about four miles. As
noticed in a previous column, considerable portions of land
have been reclaimed from the Humber, and a large dis-
trict lying eastward of the little river Hull, which flows
through the district by Beverley, aud falls into the Hum-
ber at the place to which it has given its name, has been
drained under an act of parliament obtained in 1762. This
level, which is called the Holderness Drainage, extends
about 11 miles from north to south, and comprises 11,211
acres, and before it was drained the land was of very little
value, because much of it was under water for one half of
the year. Thirty years later an act was passed for the
Beverley and Barmston Drainage, which includes a similar
district on the opposite side of the Hull, extending from
the sea-coast at Barmston, a little south of Bridlington,
very nearly to the town of Hull, a distance of about 24
miles. This drainage has two outfalls, about 2000 acres
in the northern part draining into the sea, and the re-
mainder of the level, amounting to about 10,000 acres.
into the river Hull. The Keyingham Drainage, which hes
farther south, in the promontory which terminates at
Spurn Head, was formed under an Act passed in 1722, but
altered and extended, so as to embrace about 5500 acres,
by another Act obtained in 1802. In addition to the great
extent of fertile land added to the county by these drain-
ages, the high prices of agricultural produce in this coun-
try have led to a great extension of cultivation on the
Wolds, which, until about the close of the eighteenth cen-
tury, were little better than a large rabbit-warren. The
valley of the Derwent, and its tributary the Hartford, or
Hertford, has also been increased in value by the formation,
under an Act of 1800, of the Hertford and Derwent Des
age, comprising more than 10,500 acres, of which
4500 belong to the East and the remainder to the

Riding. Under the provisions of the same Act, Spalding Moor and Walling Fen, which lie to the west of the south ern extremity of the Wolds, between them and the Ouse and Humber, were drained and inclosed.

and Lancashire, and presents great difficulties in the of communication, especially by canals or railway These difficulties however have not deterred engineer from the construction of both, though they have involve On the western side of the great valley of the Ouse lie the execution of some extraordinary and costly works the Western Moorlands of Yorkshire, the general elevation From a point a little south of Todmorden, where th of which is much greater than that of the Eastern Moor- Calder finds its way along a narrow and tortuous va lands. These form part of the irregular tract of high land to the latitude of Manchester, a distance of about 15 ml/ called the Pennine Chain, which, extending southward to there is a well-defined ridge running south-south-eze; the Derbyshire and Staffordshire hills, forms the most while, from Holme Moss and the adjacent hills in t. mountainous district in England. The highest point of southern part of this distance, the high land branch the Pennine Chain is at Cross Fell, a few miles north-west to the east, as far as Wakefield and Barnsley, between th of the north-western angle of the county, where it joins rivers Don and Calder. A turnpike-road from H Westmoreland and Durham, and approaches within three field crosses Holme Moss, at a greater elevation, it is sell or four miles of Cumberland; and from a little south of than any other road in England so far south; but we are this point, which has an elevation of 2901 feet,* is a ridge not informed what the actual elevation is. Green nearly coincident with the county boundary, with a steep gives the elevation of the hill as 1859 feet. From the cat escarpment towards the eastern side of the valley of the of the county southward to this point, the hilly courty Eden, the abrupt elevation of which forms a contrast to which gradually subsides on the eastern side into the the long and gradually sloping arms sent off on the east plain of the vale of York, has become narrower and t side into Yorkshire and Durham. South of this point the rower; but south of the parallel of Manchester the r Cumbrian Mountains join the western side of the great again spreads out into the extensive mountainous t Pennine range, the high lands of which, in its further pro- traversed by numerous ridges and valleys, which is en gress towards the south, sometimes spread out into exten-monly called the Peak, or the Derbyshire mount sive moors, sometimes present rounded mountain-tops, This part of the range extends a few miles into York. and in other places consist of a confused heap of rocky terminating to the east near Sheffield. Between that to mountains, interspersed with numerous narrow valleys, and Penistone is an extensive ridge called Bradfield M which afford scenery of the most romantic and picturesque about 1246 feet high; and near the county boundary character. This portion of the range, which occupies the few miles west of Sheffield, is the summit called L north-western extremity of the West Riding, forms the Seat, which, according to the Map of England pub western portion of the wild district of Craven, and com- by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. prises, among its more elevated summits, those of Wharn- an elevation of 584 yards, or 1752 feet. This morta side or Whernside, near the junction of the counties of must be distinguished from another of the same na York, Westmoreland, and Lancaster, with an elevation Derbyshire, a few miles farther west. which Greenough gives as 2384 feet, according to the Ord- The valley of the Ouse, or the Vale of York, the extr nance Survey, or 2461 feet, according to W. Allen, Esq.; and western boundaries of which have been desent Ingleborough, a little farther south, 2361 feet, according to commences very near the river Tees, on the north. the Ordnance Survey, or, according to Mr. Allen, as quoted boundary of the county, the basin of that river being by Greenough (who gives the elevation as that of Ingle-parated from that of the Wiske, one of the affluents of '* borough Hill and Simon Fell), 2412 feet; Penyghent, Pennygant, or Pennigant, rather more to the east, about 2270 feet; a second mountain, distinguished as the Great Wharnside, near Kettlewell, and still more to the east, 2263 feet; Bow Fell, near Sedbergh, a few miles north of the first-mentioned Wharnside, which would appear by Greenough's statement, apparently from the Ordnance Survey, to be 2911 feet high, an elevation considerably greater than that of any other mountain in this part of the county; but we find no other authority for the statement, and the Ordnance Survey of that part is not yet published; and Cam Fell, between the two Wharnsides, which, according to the same authority, is 2245 feet high. Farther south, a little to the south-east of Skipton, is Rommel's or Rumble's Moor, with an elevation of 1318 feet. The valleys of this district, the most extensive of which are Nidderdale or Netherdale, the valley of the river Nidd, Wharfedale, and Airedale, are so well wooded, cultivated, and studded with villages, as to present a beautiful appearance from the adjacent heights; and the picturesque character of the district, the roads of which afford some of the finest scenery in the country, is heightened by numerous small lakes, one of the principal of which is Malham Water, or Malham Tarn, 6 or 7 miles east by north of the town of Settle, which is about a mile in diameter, and is situated upon the summit of an elevated moor. Another small lake belonging to this mountain region, though lying in the North Riding, is that called the Simmer or Summer Lake, near Askrigg, in Wensleydale, which, together with the valley of the Swale and several others of minor extent, breaks up that part of the Western Moorlands which belongs to the North Riding. Though the general direction of the great range of mountains which occupies the western side of the county, and which is sometimes styled 'the back-bone of England,' is from north to south, it does not consist of a single ridge, but rather of several ranges which, though very irregular in their disposition, mostly form small angles with the main direction of the mountain-range, thereby forming numerous long and narrow valleys, with a general direction from north to south. This hilly district forms a kind of natural boundary between Yorkshire 16. If this be conect, Greenough's statement of the elevation of Bow Fell, Geography of Great Britain,' in the Library of Useful Knowledge,' p.

subsequently ferred to, must be erroneous. Greenough does not give the height of Cross Fail.

Ouse, by a narrow ridge of small elevation; and, occ
ing the centre of the county, it extends southward to
opposite boundary. Taking only that part of the
valley which belongs exclusively to the Ouse and its th
taries, and measuring from York as a centre, it ext":
southward for about 25 miles, to the confluence of '..
Ouse and Trent; eastward to the High Wolds, the nea
point of which is about 12 miles distant; westward is
about 15 miles, towards Wetherby and Knaresboro
and northward about 35 miles, to Northallerton; form
the most extensive uninterrupted plain in England. W
the tributary valley of the Aire, which stretches westra.
about as far as Halifax, the breadth of this valley is ab
50 miles; while the Don, which joins the Aire
Snaith, drains a continuation of the valley towards a
south-west to the very extremity of the county, betw
30 and 40 miles from the confluence of the Ouse
Trent, and about 45 miles in a direct line from York. Tha
northern part of this valley has a gentle slope towards
south, with the level surface broken by several ba
swells; but south of the city of York the surface
into a perfect flat, and is in several parts marshy, especi
along the course of the Ouse, and in the space inciv.
between that river on the north-east and an imaginary
drawn from Doncaster to Sherburn or Tadcaster on th
west. The monotony of the level is only broken by
sandy hills, seldom rising to an elevation of more than
feet above the level of the sea, and which are found pr
cipally near the course of the Don, in the vicinity of Sa
Thorne, and Doncaster; and, owing to the extraord
flatness of the country, the rivers Ouse, Aire, and Don have
frequently altered their course. That portion of the vall
which lies immediately about the lower part of the O
and between it and the Wolds which separate the rac
from the Holderness district, is called The Levels and
though fertile and pretty thickly inhabited, it is entire
flat. Farther south, towards Sheffield, and on the weste
side of the valley, the surface is diversified by the h
which gradually rise towards the mountainous dis
The Ainsty forms a part of the vale of York, and re-embe
the other portions of that valley in general charact
lating surface towards the Western Moorlands on its
being flat towards the river Ouse, and having
posite boundary.

an nnd

Geology. In this great county, which stretches from the limits of the county, especially from the north or the eastern to nearly the western coast of England, a great north-west. Of these stones some are of a size to arrest proportion of the stratified rocks of the British series may attention, and of such a peculiar nature as to be easily be advantageously observed: the exhibitions of igneous referred to the original situation from which they were rocks and mineral veins are of an interesting character; drifted. Such in particular are the erratic blocks' of the 'superficial deposits are extensive and remarkable; porphyritic granite, which lie near the surface in many the series of antient organic life is extremely large. The situations in the northern and eastern parts of Yorkshire, leading physical features of the county are very obviously on areas which converge to the north-west, and finally terdependent on its geological structure, and the modifica- minate in the porphyritic granite fells of Shap in Westtions to which they are subject by the action of the sea moreland. From that point they were certainly removed and modern atmospheric agencies, are various and in- across ridges of hills, and great breadths and valleys, as structive. far as Flamborough Head and Scarborough ; but whether by If through the city of York a line be drawn to the north-force of water, when the land was at a lower level, or was north-west and south-south-east, it will pass along the rising out of the sea, or by icebergs floating on water, or centre of a wide continuous vale, rarely elevated more than by glaciers moving across the land, or by a combination of one hundred feet above the sea. Were the general level these, is still a problem for discussion. A great proporof the land altered by a depression quite within the limits tion of small drifted stones lies in a great body of clay of well known instances, this vale would be a sea-channel, which is not stratified, and incloses stones of all sizes, bordered by the cliffs of an island on the east, and more without any arrangement of size, gravity, or mineral slowly rising lands on the west. The district on the west quality. Bones of the elephant, hippopotamus, horse, ox, rises to assume a mountainous character along nearly all &c., occur in these gravelly and argillaceous deposits, but the western border of Yorkshire; the eastern region is not frequently, except in valleys where the materials may somewhat mountainous in its northern portion, and in the have been displaced and subjected to fluviatile action. southern rises into a curved range of hills, the Wolds,' (Vale of York; Middleton, On the Wolds, &c.) between the flat district of Holderness and the vale of Pickering.

The elevated western district is based on Paleozoic rocks; the central vale and the larger part of the eastern districts are formed on the Mesozoic strata; while in Holderness and in other limited tracts are tertiary and diluvial deposits which may be referred to the Cainozoic period.

In the condensed descriptions which follow, the deposits are ranged in the order of their relative position in the earth.

CAINOZOIC DEPOSITS.

Alluvial.

Silt Lands.-The great rivers of Yorkshire which conentrate in the Humber, flow in all their lower parts hrough vast breadths of fine sediments, left by the rivers or inundations of the sea, and a great portion of this surace is still below the level of spring-tides, and only deended from floods by banks.

In the valley of the Aire, at Ferrybridge, hazel branches artly petrified, and nuts with the kernels changed to calareous stone, were found in considerable numbers. (Phil. Mag., 1828.)

Peat or Turf Moors, at no higher level than the silt ands just noted, occupy extensive areas (Thorne Waste and Hatfield Chace), and in some situations deposits of ike nature occur under 20 or more feet of silt. Trees in considerable abundance lie in these deposits, and have Deen stated to show traces of the axe and marks of fire. (De la Pryme, in Phil. Trans.)

In such peat, on Thorne Waste, skeletons of the fallow deer occur, and in one remarkable case the bones were found to have lost their earthy phosphates and carbonates, and by the action of sulphuric acid to have been subsequently converted to leather by the action of tannin on the remaining gelatine. (Reports of the British Association, 1831.)

Shelly Marls-Under the peaty tracts of Holderness, which are of remarkably small extent, lie marls often filled with lacustrine shells; and amongst them rarely the remains of the Irish elk (Cervus giganteus) have been found.

Raised Beaches.

The shelly gravels and sands of some tracts near Ridgmont, in Holderness, may possibly deserve this name, but it is more certainly applicable to some shelly sand-beds on the cliffs near Filey, from which several marine shells of existing species have been extracted.

Diluvial Deposits. Accumulations of local gravel are common in the valleys of most parts of Yorkshire, but over great breadths of the district of Holderness, in some of the oolitic and chalk hills, and in many of the valleys in these formations--over great part of the area of the central vale of York-in the elevated country between the Swale and the Tees, and in a very few situations in the valley of the Calder, occur abundance of stones of various sizes and qualities, which have been drifted from great distances, even from beyond

Ossiferous Deposits.-At Hessle cliff, flinty gravel, stratified under diluvial clay, contains elephantoid and other remains: at Beilbecks, near Market Weighton, marls which have some drifted gravel below and other gravel above, contain elephant, rhinoceros, felis, urus, and many bones. of other animals, with 13 species of land and fresh-water shells of existing species. Few of the numerous caverns in Yorkshire, which occur in the great limestone districts of the North Riding, have been explored for bones. The Cave of Kirkdale has been rendered famous by Dr. Buckland's description (Reliquiæ Diluviane), which enumerates more than twenty vertebrated animals among the reliquiæ

Chalk (500 feet thick).-It constitutes the Wold Hills. This is usually a harder rock than that of the South of England, and the nodular flints which it contains are scattered through a great part of its thickness. The lower parts assume in places a greyer and softer aspect. Fossils occur in the upper part, especially sponges, marsupites, and echinodermata, but mollusca and conchifera are less plentiful than in the South of England. The lowest band of the chalk is red, as in Lincolnshire. The chalk is unconformed to all the strata below, resting on each of them in succession in different parts of the Wold edge, as far as the lower beds of the lias.

Speeton Clay (150 feet thick?).-This blue argillaceous deposit lies under the chalk, but does not graduate into it. It appears on the coast at Speeton, and inland at Knapton and other points. The organic remains are numerous, different from those in the chalk, and also different from those in the strata below. They appear to have analogies to the golt of the South of England, and also to the Kimmeridge clay; the former analogies perhaps predominate. Some of the shells occur in the Neocomian formations of France, which are supposed to be nearly equivalent to our lower greensand.

Oohtic System.

Kimmeridge Clay.-This occurs along the north wis n the vale of Pickering, and under the escarpient of the Wolds near Cave. It is not clearly seen in contact wita the Speeton clay above, into which it perhaps gudmal'ın passes. It contains Ostrea dettondes.

Upper Calcareous Grit (60 feet thick. - This is gen the hills above Wass Bank, and near Pickering tains a few fossils.

Coralline Volite 60 feet thick —This mek form.rally the uppermost stratar of the ranges of faul which extend from Scarborough to te Hamblet and then turn southward to Waton and axe

in request. Tadcaster yields abundance of stone, Huddleston and Roche Abbey stone are the most good. Spar veins and cavities are common. Small Ferruginous Beds (inferior oolite and sand of Somerset-phate of barytes, and sulphate of strontian occur in the of carbonate and sulphate of copper, oxide of iron, su shire), 60 feet thick.-These appear in the Peak Hill at rock. In the vicinity of Garforth the lower portion # Robin Hood's Bay, at Kettleness north of Whitby, and in laminated somewhat like the marl-slate of the count various places round the base of the Cleveland and Ham- Durham, and yields products and other fossils. Axi bleton hills, as Osmotherley and Craike Castle. In the mytili, nautili, spiral shells, and a few corals occur in the Peak Hill the slightly calcareous and irony beds are very limestone near Ferrybridge. The springs which issue