304 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Sept. 



quartzites. One peculiarity about them was their well-rounded, 

 water-worn form, never sub-angular. The author thought that 

 these pebbles had gone through at least two periods of tritura- 

 tion, and he had some time ago come to the conclusion that all 

 were originally derived from the Old Red Sandstone formation. 

 This idea was verified when he went to study the old red con- 

 glomerates near Loch Lomond ; and he thought the question of 

 the origin of the new red conglomerates of Central England 

 might now be regarded as settled. Mr. Maw, Mr. Pengelly, Mr. 

 Godwin-Austen, and Prof. Huxley then continued the discussion 

 of the subject, Mr. Austen objecting to the idea that a great 

 amount of time is required to produce well-rounded shingle. 

 Professor Huxley objected to the idea that a shingle bed could 

 thicken seawards. 



FRESH-WATER. DEPOSITS OF THE VALLEY OF THE RIVER LEA, 

 IN ESSEX, BY MR. HENRY AVOODWARD, F.G.S., F.Z.S., OF 

 THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



Certain excavations made by the East London Water Works 

 Company had revealed the presence of shell marl, on the 

 Walthamstow Marshes. The marl was accompanied by vegetable 

 remains, and bog iron ore. All the shells are recent, and the 

 most notable fact connected with the bed was the presence of 

 bronze spear-heads, arrow-heads, knives, &c. These were ac-. 

 companied by bones of man, wolf, fox, beaver, wild boar, red- 

 deer, roebuck, fallow-deer, rein-deer, &c., as well as of the sea- 

 eagle, and fishes. As late as the year 1700 the entire tract was 

 forest-land. In 1154 the same country is described as abounding 

 in wolves, wild boar, wild bulls, &c. Mr, Woodward thought 

 that the maintenance of a Royal Forest had been the means 

 of preserving this bed. In the deep cutting of the bed remains 

 of the Mammoth were met with. The author thought much of 

 the deposit might fairly be ascribed to the beaver working and 

 making dams in the old valley of the Lea. Mr, Pattison said 

 the implements were found in the upper, or historical portions of 

 the beds mentioned. Mr. Woodward, in reply, said the discovery 

 of the beaver, red-deer and rein-deer, within seven miles of 

 London, was something astonishing. 



EXPLORATION OF KENT's CAVERN. 



Mr. Pengelly, the Secretary of the section, read the fifth report 

 of the Committee on the Exploration of Kent's Cavern, with 



