37 



cascade over some temporary barrier ; in another part, where the 

 bottom of the valley was choked by the fallen trunks of trees, 

 and by the abundant water plants a morass was formed, through 

 whi(;h the stream pursued its onward course with difficulty, a 

 colony of beavers had established themselves under the shelter 

 of the overhanging branches of birches and alders. Amongst 

 the forest trees on the steep hill-sides roamed at least three 

 species of deer, and the other animals whose remains have been 

 found imbedded in these alluvial deposits. 



At the time these beds were thus so well exposed to exami- 

 nation, I considered that they were due not only to the obstruction 

 offered to the waters of the stream by a luxuriant vegetation, 

 both during its growth and its decay, but that the stream had 

 been subjected to obstruction from slipped masses of Fullers 

 Earth Clays. Such a landslip has occurred half a mile below 

 Dunkirk Mills, and probably aided materially in the formation 

 of the beds just described. 



In the "Handbook of the Cotteswold Hills," published in 

 1857, Mr. Ltcett mentioned that I held this view ; and a further 

 examination of our valleys confirms me in it. 



On the line of my second section, where it cuts the Toadsmore 

 Valley, may be seen at the present time a mass of Fullers Earth, 

 which has slipped from its normal position, 200 feet above, over 

 the Inferior Oolite, and has so filled the valley that even now 

 its upper surface stands 40 feet above the former bed of the 

 stream, and it is evident that the alluviums which now occupy 

 the bottom of the valley to the distance of three-quarters of a 

 mile above this landshp, owe their deposition to the fact that 

 this intruding mass of Fullers Earth Clay at first dammed 

 back the waters of the stream to that extent. 



In conclusion, had this area of the Cotteswold Hills remained 

 a nearly level tract, it would have formed a fine agricultural 

 disti'ict, with probably a sparse population; but in its present 

 configuration of hills and valleys, it is occupied by a very large 

 population. In the sheltering valley-heads, suppKed with 

 abundant springs of excellent water, stand the older towns and 

 villages — in their earliest state the homesteads of the cultivators 

 D 



