332 



material around it was so black that my hands were stained as if 

 with soot. The ivory was discoloured outside with the black 

 coating and so fragile that the least touch caused it to fall to 

 pieces ; and, seeing at once that it was almost impossible to take 

 it out or pour liquid plaister round it for a cast owing to the 

 pervious nature of the bed in which it was lying, I had it covered 

 up temporarily and called the public attention to it in one of the 

 weekly papers. It remained in this state for some time and was 

 frequently visited until some one out of curiosity or mischief 

 attempted its removal, the result being that only portions were 

 left behind. Its length was 2 feet 7| inches, outside curve — 

 10| inches in circumference measured round the middle; and 

 tapering off at its exposed end to 3 inches. A tooth of Bos was 

 found near it, and the root of one of the elm trees growing above 

 had penetrated below the tusk. 



Such is the evidence afforded by a gravel pit of the changes 

 which have gone on around us in recent times when these 

 quaternary gravels were deposited ; changes in contour of hill and 

 valley, climate and fauna, so difficult to realise, but changes 

 which nevertheless it is certain must have taken place in the 

 yesterday of Geologic time, and which it is the proud boast of the 

 latest born of Sciences to have demonstrated by an ever 

 increasing weight of uncontrovertible facts. 



Note on Wehhina irregularis, (d'Orh ;) from the Oxford Clay at 

 JFeymouih. £ij C. Davies Sherborn, F.G.S. 



(Communicated Feb. I5th, 1888. _j 



Dr. G. J. Hinde, F.G.S., has kindly drawn my attention to a 

 fragment of a large specimen of Gryphcea dilatata, from the Oxford 

 clay of Weymouth, collected by R. Formby, Esq., of Bath. The 

 fragment, which measures 20 x 14 cm., is occupied on its exterior 

 by one very large and two smaller Serpidm, and part of the 



