112 REFOKT— 1876. 



the largest of whicli measures 3 ft. x 2 ft. 6 in. x 2 ft., negatives the idea 

 that they have come from the Bunter pebble-beds. 



The general character of the boulders of this district is similar to that of 

 the Bromsgrove district ; but in the presence of granite, quartz, and meta- 

 morphic rock resembles the district north and west of Wolverhampton. 



North and west and south-west of Wolverhampton, however, granite is 

 very much more abundant than in the district west and south-west of Bir- 

 mingham. The large boulders north and west and south-west of Wolver- 

 hampton are, it is probable, chiefly CriiFeU, or (more sparingly) Wigtonshire 

 granite*; but there is Eskdale granite in the neighbourhood, especially about 

 Bridgnorth. 



The Welsh felspathic drift covers abundantly the west and south-west of 

 the Midland tableland, while felspathic rocks from the Lake-district accom- 

 pany the Eskdale granite, and are often mixed with the Criffell granite. 



The boulders occur in two distinct positions — (1) in the older glacial beds, 

 (2) in the upper clay. 



Lancashire. 



Large striated boulders have recently been exposed in the extensive exca- 

 vations which have been made in the boulder-clay at Bootle, a northern 

 suburb of Liverpool. The site excavated is intended for new docks, and 

 extends along the river Mersey, being reclaimed from shore within the tidal 

 range. 



Mr. G. H. Morton describes for your Committee the position of these 

 boulders, and gives the following section of the drift deposits which have 

 been exposed continuously over many acres. The thickness of the various 

 beds varies considerably according to position, and the middle sands and 

 gravels often thin out and leave the upper boulder-clay reposing on the 

 lower. 



Section, 



1. Sand and silt, old Bootle shore 17 feet. 



2. Upper Boulder-clay 15 „ 



3. Sands and gravels 6 „ 



4. Lower Boulder-claj^ 6 „ 



Upper Bunter Sandstone. 



The whole of the subdivisions, 1 to 4, repose in succession on the Bunter 

 Sandstone at that part of the section nearest the old coast-line. 



The Lower Boulder-clay contains a much greater quantity of small stones 

 than the Upper Clay. No large boulders were observed ; but as the Lower 

 Clay is not exhibited to any considerable depth, it may possibly contain some. 



The Middle Sands and Gravels consist of sands which frequently, by the 

 great increase of rounded pebbles, become gravels, resembling those at Preston 

 Junction, Wigan, Gresford, and Colwyn. 



The Upper Boulder-clay contains comparatively few small smooth stones, 

 but many large boulders two or three feet in diameter. Many of these 

 are striated, and are composed of greenstone, but some are Eskdale granite. 

 These large boulders possibly occur at an average distance of twenty yards 

 from each other. A large mass of compact gypsum, about 4 feet in dia- 

 meter, was noticed. 



The sections described are still exposed at the present time, August 1876. 



* See paper by Mr. Mackintosh, Quart. Journ. Geol. See. vol. xxix. p. 358. 



