subdivision of Eocene rocks and time (the Eocene Epoch began about 54,000,000 years ago and lasted about 16,000,000 years) in western Europe. The Cuisian Stage, which precedes the Lutetian Stage and follows the Ypresian Stage, was named for Cuise, Fr., where the Cuisian consists largely of sands. In France the Cuisian and Ypresian have sometimes been considered to be facies of the same strata. In Great Britain the Cuisian is represented in the London Basin by the Lower Bagshot Beds and in the Hampshire Basin by the lower portions of the Lower Bracklesham Beds.