318 



NOTE ON A HOLOCEXE DEPOSIT AT BOVENEY, 

 BUCKINGH AMSHIEE . 



By J. E. Cooper. 



Eead 14th March, 1913. 



The Hulocene deposits of the Thames Valley have received con- 

 siderable attention, especially from Messrs. Kennard & AYoodward. 

 Full lists of fossil M^oUusca from these beds have been published for 

 Wallingford,^ two separate localities near Staines,^ and Clifton 

 Hampden,^ besides several less complete lists for other places in 

 this area. 



Last year there was an excellent section in the north bank of the 

 Thames at Boveney, Bucks, -which appears to be worth notice. 

 This exposure consisted of a thick bed of brickearth (alluvium), with 

 a maximum depth of about 5 feet, resting upon a thin sandy bed 

 some 2 inches in thickness, "which was crowded •with shells. The 

 shell-bed was just above water "wlien the river was low, and 

 corresponded to a similar deposit at Staines. The fossils in the 

 brickearth were chiefly land shells, and the specimens were scattered 

 about in tlie clay like currants in a pudding. As usual Ilygromia 

 hispida was the commonest Helicoid, and Helix nemoralis was also 

 abundant. 



1. From this alluvium the following species were obtained : — 



Vitrea cellaria (Miill.). Janiinia vniscorum (L.). 



V. nitidula (Drap.). Succinea putris (L.). 



Pyramidula rotundata (Miill.). S. elegmis, Eisso. 



Hygromia hispida (L.). Limnaa peregra (Miill.). 



Vallonia excentrica, Sterki. L.palustris (Miill.). 



Helicigona lapicida (L.). Planorbis umhilicatus, Miill. 



H. arbustorum (L.). P. Strcemi, Westd. 



Helix nemoralis, L. Bithynia tentaciilata (L.). 



H. liortensis, Miill. Valvata 2>iscinalis (MiUL). 



Cochlicopa lubrica (Miill.). Neritina fluviatilis (L.). 



Planorbis Stroemi was only noticed quite at the base of this bed ; 

 it was probably derived from the sandy bed below. 



2. The narrow sandy bed, characterized by the abundance of 

 P. Strcemi, consisted chiefly of freshwater shells, with a few land 

 species here and there. The list comprised — 



Vitrea crystallina (Miill.). Vallcmia costata (Miill.). 



V. nitidula (Drap.). V. excentrica, Sterki. 



Zonitoides nitidiis (Miill.). Helicigona arbustorum (L.). 



Punctum pygmaiim (Drap.). Helix nemoralis, L. 



Euconulus fulvus (Miill.). Cochlicopa lubrica (Miill.). 



Pyramidula riqyestris (Drap.). Jaminia muscorum (L.). 



P. rotundata (Miill.). Vertigo pygmcea (Drap.). 



Hygromia hisjjida (L.). V. pusilla, Miill. 



^ Proc. Malac. Soc, vol. viii, p. 93. 



^ Proc. Geol. Assoc, vol. xix, p. 252; Proc. Malac. Soc, vol. vii, p. 310. 



^ Proc Cotteswold Club, vol. xiv, p. 198. 



