SESSION 1905-1906. xxvii 



which ranged over nearly the whole of the northern hemisphere, 

 was almost identical with the living Indian elephant, but its 

 tnsks were longer, one being shown measuring 12 ft. 6 in. along 

 the curve. Finally, the form and habits of the Edentata were 

 illustrated by specimens of the ground-sloths Megatherium and 

 Gry pother mm, the latter having probably been kept in caverns 

 by Palaeolithic man to be killed for food. 



On leaving the Museum, the President, Dr. Morison, proposed 

 a vote of thanks to Dr. Smith Woodward, which was heartily 

 carried. 



Field Meeting, 5th Mat, 1906. 

 ALDBURY, TRING. 



The members, who came from Watford, Bushey, Rickmans- 

 worth, St. Albans, and elsewhere, about half the number by rail 

 and the rest cycling, assembled at Tring Station and proceeded 

 to the downs of Aldbury Owers, the cyclists first going to 

 Aldbury to leave their bicycles there. 



Aldbury was chosen for the first field meeting of the year 

 in order to see the Easter anemone or pasque flower (Anemone 

 jpulsatilla) in bloom, and it was found to be fairly plentiful 

 on the downs, but mostly a little past its prettiest state. 



A walk through Aldbury Owers Wood brought the party to 

 the summit of Pitstone Hill, whence a very fine view was 

 obtained. This point is upwards of 700 feet above mean sea- 

 level, which height is exceeded by Clipper Down, a mile to the 

 north-east (811 feet), and by Coombe Hill, Tring, four and a half 

 miles to the south-east (840 feet), while Coombe Hill, Wendover, 

 eight miles distant in the same direction, rises still higher 

 (952 feet). These are the highest points on the north-eastern 

 termination of the Chilterns, but they do not command any 

 finer view than that obtained from Pitstone Hill. 



Here Mr. Hopkinson, the Director of the meeting, pointed out 

 the principal geological features of the district. These, so far 

 as concerns the formations on the north-west, the lower beds 

 of the Chalk with outliers of higher beds of the same formation, 

 the Grault plain with outliers of the Lower Chalk indicating its 

 former extension, and the hills of Lower Greensand beyond, 

 have been fully described in reports of previous field meetings 

 held in the neighbourhood of Aldbury, although this is the first 

 time that Pitstone Hill has been visited, but the interest 

 attaching to this spot in connection with the river- system of 

 the district has not before been alluded to. 



At Pitstone, just below, a small stream rises which is one 

 of the tributaries of the Ouse ; just beyond Ivinghoe Beacon 

 Hill, seen about a mile away towards the north, is another ; 

 and at the same distance to the north-west, a little north of the 

 nearest reservoir (Marsworth), rise several small streams which 



