258 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



met with in the British islancls. They were, therefore, the earliest 

 types of life which had hitherto been found in this country. Prof. 

 Phillips thouj^ht that many of the so-called fossil plants in strata 

 of this aire niiirht be referred to annelids. He thouiriit the findins: 

 of the lrik)bites and other remains 1,.">00 feet below the stage they 

 had been found in before ought to teach geologists a valuable les- 

 son. The learned professor went into an elaborate review of the 

 order of life, succession, and of the natural history classification 

 of the early geological epochs. He thought it the duty of the 

 Association to encourage and support such able workers as Dr. 

 Hicks. Prof. Etheridge said that the plants exhibited were quite 

 of a different cliaracter to those sliown by Piof. Torre 11 last year. 

 He thought they were nothing beyond furrow or tracks of anne- 

 lids and Crustacea. The number of generic species of trilobites, 

 etc., showed that life was enjoyed in great abundance during these 

 early epochs. 



On Hie Occurrence of a Large Deposit of Terra- Cotta Clay at Wat- 

 cotnbc, by Prof. Etlieridye, Torquay. — The author described the 

 discovery, some years ago, in boring, of a deposit of clay resting 

 on the new red sandstone. This clay was mineralogically similar 

 to that formerly used by the Etruscans. Prof. Etheridge exhib- 

 ited several beautiful vases which iiad been made from this clay. 

 He mentioned that at Copenhagen they were copying the works 

 of Thorwalsden and others; but the clay at Watcombe was of a 

 very superior k'nd. The communication was illustrated by dia- 

 grams, which siiowed that this clay had been dei)osited by a river 

 in a large lake. Tliere were indications of the llomans, or early 

 Britons, having been acquainted with tlie bed, and of their having 

 worked it. There was no other combe in the neighborhood which 

 possessed a similar deposit. The southern end of the lake, along 

 whose bottom the clay had been formed, extencU'd far out to sea, 

 marine action having cut it off. The clay contained above GO per 

 cent of silicia, and 20 per cent, of alumina, two very important 

 eUmients. There was also 7 per cent, of peroxide of iron. 

 The alkalies, soda and potash, were present in great quantities. 

 In fact, the mineral constituents generally were better than auy- 

 thiu"r known to the Romans, and just those most necessarv ibr the 

 purposes to which this fine clay was to be put. Prof. Ethcuidgo 

 pointed out that the Assyrians, Greeks, Etruscans, and llomans 

 had all left their traces in tcrra-cotta clay. He hatl no doubt 

 <i3^ that a good many Roman Aviphora had l^een manulactured out of 

 this identical deposit. Its thickness, in some parts, was above 80 

 feet. He thought the valley iiad formerly been covered to its 

 very summit by this clay. Mr. Pengelly said that clay of the 

 same character, but not quite so fine, was founil further up the 

 valley. One bed, 12 feet thick, was underlaid by a layer of peb- 

 bles, in which the remains of man were abundant. He agreed 

 with Mr. Etheridge that it was a subacrial deposit. Under the 

 layer of stones was a still finer clay. Mr. G. Maw said he had 

 examined the clay some years ago, to ascertain the heat it would 

 stand. One peculiarity about it was its extremely fine subdivi- 

 sion. It was almost impalpably subdivided. 



