European Classification. | Britain. | Germany, &c., several other parts of Europe. |
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Stages. | Sub-stages. | ||||
Upper Cretaceous. |
Montian. Danian. Aturian. Senonian. Emscherian. Turonian. Cenomanian. |
(placed by some in the Tertiary). Maestrichtian (Dordonian). Campanian. Santonian. Coniacian. Angoumian. Ligerian. Carentonian. Rothomagian. |
Chalk of Trimingham. Upper Chalk with Flints. Middle Chalk without Flints. Grey Chalk. Chalk marl. Cambridge Greensand. |
Marls and pisolitic Limestone of Meudon. Limestone of Saltholm and Faxö (Denmark). Upper Quader Sandstone. Quader Marls and Pläner Marls. Upper Pläner. Lr. Pläner and Lr. Quader. Tourtia of Mons, &c. | Hippurite lime- stones of Southern France and Mediter- ranean Region. |
Lower Cretaceous. |
Albian. Aptian. Barremian. Neocomian. |
Gault. Gargasian. Bedoulian. Hauterivian. Valangian. Berriasian. |
Selbornian. Gault and Upper Greensand. __________________ Lower Greensand. Weald Clay and Hastings sands. Marine Beds of Specton. |
Flammen mergel. Clay of N. Germany. Urgonian Requienia (caprotina) Kalk or Schrattenkalk. North German Hills formation |
Upper Cretaceous. | Lower Cretaceous. | |
Alpine Region. | Aptychenkalk in E. Alps ... Cretaceous Flysch... Biancone of S. Alps. |
... Cretaceous Flysch ... Carpathian and Vienna Sandstones, Gosau formation of E. Alps. Seewan beds of N. Alps. Scaglia of S. Alps. |
Africa. | Nubian Sandstone of ... Uitenhage Beds S. Africa. |
... N. Africa and Syria. Pondoland Beds S. Africa. |
India. | Oomia and Utatur Group. | Arialoor Beds (Deccan Trap). |
Australia. | Rolling Down Formation. | Desert Sandstone. |
New Zealand. | Thick conglomeratic Series with Bitumous coals. | Waipara Beds and Limestones, Chalk, with Flints, Marls and Greensand. |
S. America. | Puegiredon Series. Belgrano ... | ... Series. San Martin Series. |
Japan. | Torinosa Limestone and Ryoseki Series. | Izumi Sandstone and Hokkaido Series. |
Greenland. | Kome Group. | Atani Group. Patoot Group (part). |
Note to Table. | ||
Montian | from | Mons in Belgium. |
Danian | ” | Denmark = Garumnien of Leymerie. |
Aturian | ” | Adour. |
Maestrichtian | ” | Maestricht. |
Campanian | ” | Champagne. |
Emscherian | ” | Emscher river in Westphalia. |
Santonian | ” | Saintonge. |
Coniacian | ” | Cognac. |
Senonian | ” | Sens in department of Yonne. |
Turonian | ” | Touraine. |
Angoumian | ” | Angoumois. |
Ligerian | ” | the Loire. |
Cenomanian | ” | Le Mans (Cenomanum). |
Carentonian | ” | Charente. |
Rothomagian | ” | Rouen (Rothomagus). |
Albian | ” | dept. of Aube. |
Selbornian | ” | Selborne in Hampshire. |
Aptian | ” | Apt in Vaucluse. |
Gargasian | ” | Gargas near Apt. |
Bedoulian | ” | la Bedoule (Var) = Rhodanien of Renevie |
Barremian | ” | Barrême in Basses Alpes. |
Hauterivian | ” | Hauterive on Lake of Neuchâtel. |
Valangian | ” | Château de Valangin near Neuchâtel. |
Neocomian | ” | Neuchâtel (Neocomum). |
Berriasian | ” | Berrias (Ardéche) near Besseges. |
Urgonian | ” | Orgon near Arles. |
The Cretaceous seas were probably comparatively shallow; this was certainly the case where the deposits are sandy, and in the regions occupied by the hippuritic fauna. Much discussion has taken place as to the depth of the chalk sea. Stress has been laid upon the resemblance of this deposit to the modern deep-sea globigerina-ooze; but on the whole the evidence is in favour of moderate depth, perhaps not more than 1000 fathoms; the freedom of the deposit from detrital matter being regarded as due to the low elevation of the surrounding land, and the main lines of drainage being in other directions. Sandy and shore deposits are common throughout the system in every region. Besides the Weald, there were great lacustrine and terrestrial deposits in N. America (the Potomac, Kootenay, Morrison, Dakota and Laramie formations) as well as in N. Spain, and in parts of Germany, &c. The general distribution of land and sea is indicated in the map.
Earth Movements and Vulcanicity.—During the greater part of the Cretaceous period crustal movements had been small and local in effect, but towards the close a series of great deformative movements was inaugurated and continued into the next period. These movements make it possible to discriminate between the Cretaceous and Tertiary rocks, because the conditions of sedimentation were profoundly modified by them, and in most