REMARKABLE FOSSIL DEPOSITS NEAR BRISTOL. I43 



of the teeth of a Rhaetic fish (Lophodus) very similar to those 

 found so abundantly at Aust Cliff, in the well-known bone bed. A 

 few yards to the west of this crevice is another also filled with loam 

 literally packed with the bones of rodent animals which on exami- 

 nation turn out to be those of the Arvicola, or Water Vole — in 

 this part of the kingdom commonly though erroneously called the 

 Water Rat. Other bones of amphibious animals also occur, but 

 those of Arvicola largely predominate. A geological examination 

 of the locality and the northern part of Somerset will I think show 

 that in former times it was a well watered country, abounding in 

 streams and lakes, the banks of which were inhabited by Water 

 Voles and other animals similar in their habits to the Beaver. The 

 fissure or crevice in question was probably the site of an old 

 stream and now filled up by mud and some rock, but not by drift 

 as some suppose. My reasons for thus thinking are : ist. — That 

 the deposit is a fine mud without any small stones or gravel, as in 

 the drift near Cheddar, Draycott, Sandford, and Axbridge. 2ndly. — 

 That the nature of the loam agrees with the neighbouring rocks, 

 and is very similar to the loam found in the contiguous crevice, 

 which contains the Rhaetic fossils, both in colour and physical 

 character. 3rdly — That with the bones also occur the excrement 

 of the Arvicola, which would differ much in the specific gravity and 

 would not be likely to be found with the bones if subjected to the 

 action of running water. 4thly. — That with the fossil bones are 

 also small but perfect crystals of calcite with the angles quite 

 sharply defined and not in the least water worn. ^thly. — That the 

 loam is exactly similar to that found in the caves at Cheddar, 

 Lexton, ike, and which are closed cavities. So plentiful are the 

 bones in the deposit that many hundreds maybe collected in a few 

 minutes. Some of the most perfect and plentiful are drawn in 

 the accompanying lithograph. 



Indeed ths prevalence of the Water Vole in Post Tertiary strata is 

 so great that immense numbers of these curious mammals must have 

 existed at that period. Mr. R. Pennington in his notes on the 



