10 
A paper, written by Mr Symonps, was read by Mr Witson. 
In this paper, after reference to former occasions of genial 
intercourse with members of the Cotteswold and Malvern Field 
Clubs, Mr Symonps made special mention of the fine exposure 
of Gneissic and Sienitic rocks in the great “North” quarry, 
which are exciting considerable discussion amongst Geologists 
and Mineralogists on the question whether they are as old as 
the Laurentian group of America, as maintained by Dr Hott, 
or are metamorphosed rocks of somewhat later date. Dr 
Sterry Hunt, of America, one of the most learned among 
mineralogical chemists, believes that the Malvern Gneiss is 
Archean, or the equivalent in time of the Laurentians of 
America. Mr Symonps next made reference to boulders of 
Permian grits found imbedded in Red Till at the base of the 
great quarry at North Malvern. These erratics, he stated, 
must have travelled across the valley of the Teme from the 
neighbourhood of Woodbury Hill, on which Owen GueNDOWER 
encamped his army not long before the battle of Shrewsbury. 
Reference was then made to the vast history of denudation 
revealed by the “ Northern Drift” on Cleeve Clouds, 1100 feet 
above the sea, to the glacial erratics near Moreton-in-the-Marsh, 
and to those on the summit of the Mendips above Wells,— 
all telling a story of denudation of which the Bredon and 
Dumbleton hills are massive witnesses, as are the distant hills 
of Herefordshire, Radnor, Brecon and Shropshire. For many 
years, said Mr Symonps, I have from time to time observed 
indications which led me to believe that evidences of glacial 
action were not wanting along the Malvern range. It was 
impossible to see the large angular masses of Malvern Gneiss, 
of Llandovery rock and Wenlock débris, in the gravel-pits of 
Birtsmorton and Castlemorton commons without being con- 
vinced that they must have travelled over slopes of ice and 
snow from the Southern Malverns. It was evident, too, that 
great masses of snow and ice filled the combes and valleys all 
along the hills. In 1883 Mr Symonps met with evidence 
that an ice-sheet had at one time crossed the pass of the 
Wind’s Point, and had left behind a true boulder clay, full of 
