158 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



ON THE DEPOSITS OF SUPERFICIAL GRAVEL IN THE 

 COUNTIES OF CHESTER, STAFFORD, WORCESTER, AND 

 WARWICK. 



To THE Editors of " The Analyst." 

 Gentlemen, 



I AM desirous of submitting a few queries to such of your geological read- 

 ers as reside in the midland counties. The deposits of superficial gravel, 

 sand, and clay in that part of England are now beginning to attract the at- 

 tention they deserve ; and the researches of Mr. Murchison have thrown a 

 new light on these accumulations of drifted matter. He has shewn that the 

 vast deposits of gravel which are scattered over Cheshire, Staffordshire, and 

 Worcestershire, are of marine origin, and contain sea-shells of existing spe- 

 cies. My own observations on the subject lead to the conclusion that these 

 beds of erratic gravel may be divided into two classes — the marine drift of 

 Mr. Murchison, and ancient Jluviatile drift, consisting of the same materials 

 as the former, but modified by the action of rivers after the midland counties 

 became dry land. The former class of deposits are scattered indiscriminately 

 over the surface, and occur on the summits of considerable hills. They con- 

 sist of rolled fragments of various rocks, commonly mixed in confusion, with 

 little or no appearance of stratification. Thejluvmiile drift, on the contrary, 

 is in general finely stratified, denoting a more tranquil action of flowing wa- 

 ter. It is found in the vicinity of existing streams, forming low platforms 

 rarely exceeding fifty or sixty feet above the present drainage level. In the 

 latter situations, the bones of Hippopotami, Elephants, and other extinct 

 Mammalia frequently occur, and are occasionally accompanied by land and 

 freshwater shells. But I have not been able to learn that either bones or 

 freshwater shells have occurred in deposits referable to the marine class of 

 deposits. 



My object in now addressing you, is to learn how far these views may be 

 found to hold good in the district in question. I therefore beg to propose 

 the following queries: — 



1. Have the bones of Elephants and other extinct Mammalia, or freshwa- 

 ter shells, been found in gravel and sand at a distance from existing streams, 

 or at great elevations above those streams, within the counties of Cheshire, 

 Stafford, Worcester, and Warwick ? 



2. Have not all the fossil bones which have occurred in gravel in the mid- 

 land counties been found at distances not exceeding a mile from flowing 

 streams, and at heights not exceeding sixty or eighty feet above them ? 



3. What is the greatest elevation at which the non-ossiferous or marine drift 

 occurs. 



I also take this opportunity of calling attention to the marine shells notic- 

 ed by Mr. Murchison in the gravel of Staffordshire and Cheshire. These 

 remains have not yet, I believe, been found in Worcestershire or Warwick- 

 shire ; and it would be highly desirable to establish their existence in the 

 gravel of those counties also. H. E. S. 



