192 TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION C. 



smaller size to reduction in water supply, and their steepness to the rapid retreat 

 of the shore-line under marine action. They are in fact growing shorter, and 

 not longer, and the final obliteration of some of them may have helped to give 

 rise to the belief that the cliffs themselves are growing steeper. 



A Joint Discussion with Section H then took place on the Post-Tertiary 

 Geology of the distiict, with special reference to flint implements, opened by the 

 following Paper, which was illustrated by a collection of implements specially 

 arranged by Mr. Scott : — 



3. The Posi-Tertiary Deposits of the Bournemouth Area. 

 By Eeginald A. Smith. 



The temporary exhibition of palasoliths from the Bournemouth district 

 suggests further inquiry into the age and character of the beds in which they 

 are found. Gravel is widely distributed over the high ground between the 

 Stour and the coast at about 100 ft. O.D., and the implements are often found 

 at the base of deep deposits in an unrolled condition, and therefore presumably 

 (/( situ. The current view is that the gravels were laid down by a great river 

 flowing eastward between the present coast-line and a southern bank connecting 

 the Needles with the Isle of Purbeck; but in view of similar discoveries on 

 St. 'Catherine's Hill (between the Avon and Stour and close to their junction), 

 it seems likely that the Bournemouth gravels were originally continuous with 

 those of the New Forest, and that the implements were imbedded in them 

 before the present valleys of the Stour and Avon were deeply cut. Several 

 implements have been found in high and low gravel-beds in the New Forest, 

 and coast finds are abundant from Poole Harbour to Southampton Water. A 

 section from Bramble Hill .south-west to the coast is given in Proc. Geol. Assoc, 

 xxvi. (1915), 4, suggesting that the iniplement-bearing beds are part of a 

 plateau deposit rather than the terrace-gravel of a Solent river. 



In the afternoon a Sectional Excursion to Swanage took place. 



THUBSDAY, SEPTEMBEB 11. 

 Joint Meeting vrith Section D. — See Section D, p. 211. 



In the afternoon a Sectional Excursion to Corfe took place. 



FBI DAY, SEPTEMBEB 12. 



The following Papers were read : — 



1. The Pre-Cambrian of Central Canada. 

 By WiLLET G. Miller. 



Ten years ago, at the Winnipeg meeting of the British Association, the 

 author presented a paper dealing with the age relations of the pre-Cambrian 

 i-ocks of Canada. Since then much field work has been done in connection 

 with these rocks, not only in the province of Ontario, but to the eastward in 

 Quebec and, to a lesser extent, to the westward in Manitoba and i&askatchewan. 

 There has been great mining activity in the pre-Cambrian areas of Ontario, 

 which has afforded special facilities for study to the geological staff of the 

 Ontario Bureau of Mines. From time to time papers and reports have been 



