XXIV. 



Mr. Skertchley describes the beds as having the following order : 



1. Brandon Beis. Interglacial, with Paleolithic Implements. 



2. Great Chalky Boulder Clay. 



3. Flood Gravels. 



4. Palaeolithic Gravel of Ancient Valleys. 



5. ,, Modern Valleys. 



To his work on the Fenland I must refer those, who desire further 

 information ; it is only fair to say that his views about the age of the 

 Brandon beds are not universally accepted. At Hoxne, many years ago, 

 large quantities of flint implements were discovered in a bed of gravel 

 of glacial age. Some of the gravels are fossiliferous ; for example, near 

 Lowestoft, on the North shore of Lake Lothing, is a gravel bed, whence 

 I obtained several much rolled fragments of mammalian bones ; near 

 Stutton-on-Stour is a bed of post-glacial brick earth containing fresh 

 water shells of species still living in England, together with some now 

 only found in Asiatic and African waters, with mammalian remains. 



The Fen beds proper, consist of beach and floor gravels which 

 shew good stratification and vary from 2 to 30f fc. in thickness ; they 

 are unfossiliferous. Above these beds is found the Peat, which is, of 

 course, entirely of vegetable origin ; and is not now in process of forma- 

 tion to any great extent ; it contains remains of several successive buried 

 iorests. This large amount of peat points to a much colder and moister 

 climate than now obtains, such conditions being necessary for its growth. 

 In the Isle of Ely beds of shell marl are found in connection with the 

 peat and, elsewhere nearer the Wash, the peat is overlaid by a large 

 area of Silt. 



The remains of neolithic man are to be found in abundance in 

 the neighbourhood of Brandon and Mildenhall; Grime's graves, near 



Brandon, is probably a locality which was worked for flints by them, 

 "wherewith to manufacture their weapons. More recent remains, Celtic, 



British and Roman, are to be found in various localities. 



WHEELTON HIND. 



