April 20, 1882] 
NATURE 
W 
583 
It would seem, therefore, that the chief bone of contention, 
viz, the age of the great mass of Upper Gneis:, which extends 
over the central and eastern parts of Sutherland, had been finally 
and irrevocably decided to be Silurian, notwithstanding the mis- 
givings of the anti-metamorphic school. 
There is just one more chance of avoiding the dreaded con- 
clusion, and this ‘‘last phase of dissent” has appeared in the 
form of Dr. Heddle’s map and accompanying papers, published 
in the AZimeralogical Magazine for 1881. This last phase of 
dissent so far differs from the others, in that it is not based on 
foregone conclusions, and does no violence to stratigraphical 
facts, but is the natural and thoroughly unbiassed outcome of a 
long series of observations in the field and in the laboratory. 
The question now to be solved, stated in the fewest possible 
words, amounts to this: What is the relation between the fossili- 
ferous limestone of Durness, a limited patch on the north coast 
of Scotland, and the quartzo-dolomitic series, which, com- 
mencing at Loch Erribol, stretches southwards through the 
counties of Sutherland and Ross in varying phases of develop- 
ment for fully one hundred miles ? 
If this quartzo-dolomitic series is of the same age, or approxi- 
mately of the same age, as the Durness limestone, which contains 
lower Silurian fossils ; then the last pha-e of dissent is knocked 
on the head, and henceforth orthodoxy reigns supreme. Aye, 
there’s the rub; and this brings me to the point. 
The palzontological facts bearing on this subject require to be 
re-stated with more confirmatory evidence. We can hardly be 
satisfied with such vague things as Serpulites, Fucoids, and the 
like ; what is required in the present case is some clear and in- 
disputable evidence that Lower Silurian fossils have been fceund 
s any part of the quartzo-dolomitic series away from the Durness 
asin. 
Placing the most implicit reliance formerly in the statements 
of Murchison, that Orthoceratites had been detected by Mr. 
Peach and himself in Assynt, and further, that Ovthoceras had 
been found in the upper quartz rock of Erribol, the fragment 
having been identified by Salter as Orthoceras (Cameroceras) 
Brongniartit (Q. F. G. S., vol. xvi. p. 230), I have felt a little 
sceptical on the subject lately. Not that one would venture to 
doubt the perfect gocd faith of Murchison and his colleagues for 
a single instant. But it is possible to make mistakes in such 
matters, and we would wish to see something like a renewal of 
these alleged discoveries. 
Besides it is well known that several eager and experienced 
searchers have paid visits to the North-west of late years, and, 
although they found very curious and enigmatical markings in 
the quartzite series, neither Prof. Blake nor Dr. Callaway, for 
instance, have succeeded in »btaining a form which could be 
unmistakably regarded as a Silurian fossil. Moreover, Prof. 
Blake, who was engaged about the year 1878 in making inves- 
tigations for his great work on the British fossil Cephalopoda, 
endeavoured to trace the history of these alleged discoveries, but 
without success. 
Those who may be regarded as Murchison’s heirs and succes- 
sors, must see how vital this point is, and we look to them, not 
to be content with hunting up old statements as to the discovery 
of recognisable Silurian fossils, but to afford us the means of satis- 
fying ourselves, beyond the possibility of a doubt, that Silurian 
fossils do occur in the quartzo-dolomitic series. When this is done, 
all controversy on the ‘‘ North-west Succession” should, in the 
absence of any startling and unexpected discovery, cease ; but, 
until it is done, ‘‘the last phase of dissent” will continue to be 
regarded as a possible explanation by those who are not wedded 
to any theory, but who require that no link in the chain of 
evidence shall be wanting. W. H. HuDLEsTON 
23, Cheyne Walk, S.W. 
Magnetic Storm 
It may interest some of your readers to know that a magnetic 
s‘orm of unusual intensity raged from about midnight of Sunday 
the 16th to midnight of the 17th, The photographic records are 
only now being developed, so time will not permit of a detailed 
account being furnished for this week’s number. 
We observe a tremendous spot which appeared on the sun’s 
dise first on the 13th, is now rapidly approaching the central 
meridian, and a group observed on Saturday a little in advance 
of it, appears to have undergone considerable change in the 
interval. Possibly those observers furnished with better appli- 
ences than we have at our disposal will be able to give fuller 
information respecting what has taken place on the solar disc 
during the last few days. G. M. WHIPPLE 
Kew Obseryatory, Richmond, Surrey, April 18 
Sea-shore Alluvion—Dungeness or Denge-nesse 
As Lambarde points out, lying in Walland and Denge marshes, 
the ‘‘neshe”’ or Saxon ‘‘nesse,” a ‘‘nebbe” or ‘‘nose” of land 
extending into the sea derived its name from the last marsh— 
Somner terms it ‘‘ Stone End’’—‘‘ Lapis appositus in ultimo 
terre.” Grunville Collins, in 1693, says, ‘‘ You may keep 
within nine or ten fathom of it close to the shoar.” West- 
ward of Folkestone great. changes have taken place in the con- 
dition of the old havens, due to the early accretion and con- 
tinuous extension up to the present time of this remarkable spit 
of shingle formed to windward of a tidal estuary. The whole 
area at the present time between the Royal Military Canal 
which runs from Sandgate west of Folkestone to Rye, and which 
forms the base of the Ness, twenty miles in length, and south- 
ward to the sea exhibits parallel series of curves running in 
undulating waves, displaying the periodical accessions to the 
coast very similar to the annular rings in timber; the surface of 
which, landward, is gradually brought into cultivation, Lydd, 
at a comparatively recent period a port, is now three or four 
miles from the sea, Two natural roadsteads are formed by this 
spit, in which, dependent on the quarter from which the wind 
prevails, seven to eight hundred vessels may be seen riding at 
anchor, lying within two or three miles of Lighthouse Point, the 
extremity of the Ness. 
Numerous projects have from time to time been brought for- 
ward for the formation of a harbour of refuge, by running out 
a pier from the extremity of Dungeness; but having reference 
to the large amount of speculation as to its origin and progress, 
the Legislature have wisely hitherto turned a deaf ear to any 
tampering with a breakwater of nature’s forming, affording, as 
it does, two excellent havens of refuge under certain conditions 
of weather, for all these shingle nesses possess the remarakble 
property of creeping across, and having deep water at their 
extremities. 
It has been assumed with some plausibility that the meeting ot 
the tides (which, however, is much further eastward) has influ: 
enced its origin. A formation of this description is, however, 
very little influenced by the tides, and similar shingle spits are 
found tailing round and across the outfalls of tidal rivers of great 
velocity, and a similar spit—Langley Point, has formed to the 
westward under Beachy Head, east of Eastbourne, where there 
is no such assumed meeting of the tides, and the origin of which 
may also be traced to a now extinct tidal harbour (Pevensey) to 
leeward of it. 
On the east coast, masses of shingle form similar nesses, such 
as Landguard Point, inclosing Harwich Harbour, Orfordness, 
inclosing Orford Haven, and others. 
The average progress of Dungeness, in a south-eastern direc- 
tion has amounted to six yards per annum, and reaching over 
certain periods an average of eight yards per annum has been 
attained ; this, however, is local, and accompanied by periodical 
wasting away along the curved bays east and west of Lighthouse 
Point. This action may be seen in Rye bay, where there is less 
shingle and more sand by patches of diluvial peat cropping up 
through the foreshore. 
A determinate south-east movement of the extremity of the 
Ness results from these variations in outline as may be seen on 
reference to the Ordnance Sheet of H.M. Geological Survey, 
the position of the old ‘‘ fulls” to the westward being laid down 
thereon, indicating plainly the eastern leeward movement. 
The following extracts from various hydrographic authorities 
show the high estimation held for this natural breakwater and its 
attendant harbours of refuge by naval men. 
Norie in his ‘‘ British Channel Pilot,” says : 
.. . ‘© You may round this point in 10, 11, or 12 ‘fathoms, 
The strongest tide runs in 15 fathoms. Ships bound down 
channel, and meeting here with westerly winds, may anchor to 
the eastward of the ‘ ess’ in 10 or 12 fathoms. . . . You may 
also anchor to the westward of the ‘ Ness,’ with north-east winds, 
in 7 or § fathoms.” 
Capt. Martin White, R.N., in his Sailing Directions for the 
English Channel, says :— 
“The West Bay of Dungeness affords good anchorage against 
north-easterly winds, avd is certainly preferable to Dover Road.” 
“When the wind is between north and by east and west and 
