199 



with a descripton of the agencies at work in the formation of 

 such outlying conical hills as Glastonbury Tor, and the one in 

 question. Mr. Woodward was unfortunately prevented from being 

 present himself, but was enabled, by the kind permission of the 

 Director General of the Geological Survey, to forward the paper 

 for the Club. 



Mr. Mc.MuRTRiE said these notes were an important addition 

 to our knowledge of local geology, and the Survey deserved 

 great credit for so readily acknowledging an error they had 

 formerly made in mapping this knoll — a readiness which had not 

 been conspicuous on former occasions when the work of amateur 

 geologists did not exactly accord with their views. As regards 

 the prospects of coal, of course this discovery of the thickness 

 of the Liassic beds at this point did not affect the question 

 as to the existence of coal south of the Mendips, but merely as 

 to the depth at which it might be won. Bearing in mind too 

 that the Lias thinned out near the Polden Hills, and that the 

 New Red Sandstone came in there, the depth might not after all 

 be so great. Moreover, a sinking for coal would be made nearer 

 the Mendips. Mr. Skrine (who was in the chair) proposed a 

 vote of thanks to Mr. Woodward for having given the Club the 

 benefit of his notes. 



Canon Ellacombe then read a short paper on " Place Names 

 derived from Plants (in the neighbourhood of Bath)," stating 

 that the process of naming places by our early ancestors was a 

 very simple one, for like all uncivilised people they chose out 

 their settlements in the places best fitted for their requirements, 

 where the necessaries of life, water, wood and shelter could be 

 most easily procured; and naming their places from some 

 distinctive natural feature, those of trees and plants would 

 readily present themselves for the purpose of place-names. It 

 was then his endeavour to show that trees and plants enter 

 largely into place-names, and that the latter also tell us something 

 about plants. Taking forest trees first, how many places derive 



