EXCURSION OF THE GEOLOGISTS' ASSOCIATION TO ILFORD, 47 



papers and other appliances used in his experiments, and explaining their optical 

 action. He made several references to the work of the chairman, Professor 

 Meldola, upon the colours of insects, and said that it was Meldola's translation 

 of Dr. Weismann's " Studies in the Theor}' of Descent," published in 1882, 

 which first directed his attention to this fascinating subject. 



Mr. Poulton had to leave hurriedly in order to catch the return train to 

 Oxford, so that no discussion was possible ; but a very cordial vote of thanks was 

 passed, and the chairman said that, although they all regretted the cause of Col. 

 Swinhoe's absence, it was evident that the}' had lost nothing in having such an 

 address from a master of his subject. He recommended all interested to read 

 Mr. Poulton's book on " Colours of Animals " (Intern. Sci. Series, i8go), in which 

 his important researches were summarised. 



A vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Wire for providing and skilfull}' manipu- 

 lating the lantern. 



Tea and coffee were served as usual in an upper room of the builaing. 



EXCURSION OF THE GEOLOGISTS' 

 ASSOCIATION TO ILFORD. 



ON Saturday, March 25th, about fifty members of the Geologists' Associa- 

 tion visited Ilford, under the experienced guidance of Mr. F. C. J • 

 Spurrell, in order to inspect the brickyards so famous for the quantity of 

 mammalian and other remains which have been found in them from time to 

 time. Strange to sa}', the Association does not appear to have visited these pits 

 since June, 1871, but the Essex Field Club had a most interesting visit there in 

 July, 1880, under the guidance of the late Sir Antonio Brady, Mr. A. R. Wallace, 

 and Mr. Henry Walker (see report in Journal of Proceedings, E.F.C., vol. i, 

 pp. xxviii.). At Ilford, as a glance at the Geological Surve}' map shows, the 

 river-gravel is covered b}' a few feet of clay and brickearth. The first pit visited 

 was east of the town of Ilford and north of the railway, between Ley Street and 

 St. Mary's Church, where " fossil remains found here," may be seen on the 

 Ordnance map of 6 inches to a mile. The second pit was south of the railwa}' 

 and east of St. Mary's Church. In each pit the section consisted of sand at the 

 bottom with loam and clay, containing many of the calcareous nodules known as 

 race^ above the sand. The surface beds to a depth of about three feet were very 

 variable and irregular, some fine gravel being seen here and there. Penetrating 

 into the clayey beds for some feet were veins of sand of a few inches in breadth. 

 The mammalian remains for which these pits are famous were found chiefly in the 

 sand underlying the clay and loam. Dr. H. Woodward remarked at the last 

 ^•isit of the Association to Ilford, that though elephant remains had been 

 obtained both from Ilford and Grays, Elephas primigenitis (the mammoth) was 

 the common species at Ilford, and Elepkas antiquus at Gra3's. But the reader 

 desiring full details of these Ilford sections must be referred to Mr. Whitaker's 

 Memoir on " The Geology of London and of part of the Thames Valley," vol i, 

 pp. 410 — 15. A section of the Uphall Pit, the sides of which are now sloped and 

 afford no section whatever, may be seen in the " Record of Excursions of the 

 Geologists' Association," p. 174. As it is probable that the pits near St Mary's 

 Church will shortly be in the same condition, members of the Essex Field Club 

 interested in geology should visit them before it is too laie. 



