33 



into a conglomerate styled, from its economic usefulness, Millstone-Grit, in which, 

 with marine organic remains, drifted land plants are common, and on which 

 repose the Coal Measures. 



Starting from Whitchurch, which, as I have said, is situate upon the superior 

 Old Red Sandstone system, our party proceeded to the escarpments of the 

 Carboniferous or Mountain Limestone quarried on the cliffs of Doward Hill. Here 

 some time was agreeably spent in the collection of fossils ; after trhich, we crossed 

 the Wye to the luxuriantly wooded range known as the Coldwell rocks, and from 

 thence ascended to the far-famed Symonds Yat. 



The extensive view from this lofty promontory is so well known, as to require 

 only a passing allusion ; but geologically, as described by Sir Roderick Murchison, 

 it excited more than common interest. Standing on the limestone ridge, which 

 forms the edge of the coal basin of the Forest of Dean, tlie author of the Silurian 

 system pointed out the various formations as seen from that commanding eleva- 

 tion. To the north the eye ranged over a wide extent of Old Red Sandstone, 

 bounded in the distance by the Syenitic peaks and Silurian upcasts of tlie Malverns 

 —to the south stretched the Millstone-Grit and Coal Fields of the Forest of Dean, 

 embracing the entire series of Palaeozoic Strata which lie within the province of 

 the Woolhope Club. 



Gazing over the widely diversified scene, our attention was naturally directed 

 to the consideration of the physical changes the country had undergone, more 

 especially to those produced by denudation. Mr. Strickland's observations on 

 the subject were highly instructive ; he remarked that every drop of rain has, in 

 seeking its level, a degrading influence, and carries with it, however minute the 

 quantity, a supply of materials towards some new formation. The sea under- 

 mines and encroaches upon our coasts— rivers furrow out their channels,' carrying 

 with them, and depositing elsewhere, the sediment with which they are charged— 

 such hydraulic forces are not confined to the present time, but have been in opera- 

 tion from the remotest ages, and we have but to make allowance for long periods 

 of submergence to account for the disappearance of the vast masses of strata 

 which have been swept away from the area before us. 



In a practical address delivered by the Rev. W, S. Symonds, he particularly 

 urged the necessity of cultivating halsits of observation even in small matters, for 

 in the economy of nature nothing is unimportant, and it not unf requently happens 

 tliat objects of apparent insignificance prove valuable aids in determining scientific 

 facts. The rev. gentleman's remarks were exemplified by observations made 

 during the course of the day. 



In one instance, a vertical fissure in the Old Red Conglomerate on the slope 

 of the promontory of Symond's Yat was observed to contain a stalagmite formed 

 by the percolation of water charged with carbonate of lime. 



The remarkable occurrence of a calcareous stalagmite in a fissure of siliceous 

 conglomerate was explained by Mr. Strickland as being due to the carboniferous 

 limestone, which had once extended over the conglomerate, but had since. been 

 removed by denudation. The constituents of this conglomerate also bear 



