BRITISH ISLES. 31 



Prestwich, Prof. J. On the Geological Conditions affecting the 

 Water 8ui)ply to Houses and Towns, with special reference to the 

 modes of supplying Oxford. Pp. 48 ; plates (map and sections). 

 8vo. 0.rford and London. 

 Oxford stands on a terrace of gravel overlying Oxford Clay: the 

 water in the. gravel for many years formed the only supply to the city. 

 The supply is now got from the valley gravels below the town ; but 

 this is liable to contamination. Other possible sources of supply are : — 

 Springs near Oxford (Coralline Oolite or Portland Pods), Artesian 

 AVells sunk into the Lower Oolites, springs in the Chalk and OoHtic 

 Districts, and Underground Chalk Waters. The geological conditions 

 affecting these sources are examined ; and information is given as to thick- 

 ness of rocks, height, quality, yield of springs, &c. The author suggests 

 corrections in the interpretation of the boring at Wytham, G33 feet 

 deep (made in 1829). Instead of 600 feet of Oxford Clay in the 

 section, he admits only 273 feet ; whilst the lowest 170 feet he regards 

 as Marlstone and L. Lias. The U. Lias is not present. Pemarks are 

 also made on the St. Clement's Well (see below). W. T. 



Thickness of the Oxford Clay. Geol. Mag. dec. ii. vol. iii. 



pp. 237-239. 



A reprint of those parts of the foregoing which relate to the Wytham 

 boring. 



On the Mineral Water discovered in sinking the Artesian 



Well at St. Clement's, Oxford ; and on certain Geological Infe- 

 rences suggested by the Character of the Water. (With Analysis 

 by W. F. Donkin.) Proc. Ashmolean Soc. 

 . The boring, made in 1832, was carried 420 feet through Oxford 

 Clay and Oolitic strata. The water contains 1277 grains of solid 

 matter a gallon, of which 493 are sulphates of soda and lime, 748 

 cbloride of sodium. The proportion of saline matter is larger than in 

 any other English spring ; and it most nearly resembles water from 

 the New lied Sandstone. The author passes in review the evidence in 

 favour of the thinning of the Lower Secondary rocks towards the S.E. 

 of England, and he infers that the boring really reached New lied 

 Sandstone. W. T. 



Price, F. G. H. Note on the Annelid Bed in the Gault of Kent. 



Geol. May. dec. ii. vol. iii. pp. 190, 191. 

 The tabular ironstone of the Gault is full of Annelid borings. 



. Excursion to Sandgatc and Eolkestone. Proc. Gtol. Assoc* 



vol. iv. no. 9, pp. 554-550. 

 Describes beds from the Sandgate lieds to the so-called " Upper 

 Grecnsand." (See Geoloqical IIecord for 1875, p. 35.) 



Ramsay, Prof. A. C. How Anglesey became an Island. Quart. 



Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. xxxii. pp. 116-122, pi. xiv. (maj) and section). 



Anglesey and the neighbouring maiidand form an undulating plain, 



