488 T. Mellard Reade — Oscillations of Level of Land. 



intends to re-examine the rocks and to construct a map of the 

 district. 



A short time since I called attention to the discovery of Upper 

 Cretaceous strata at Sofala, proved hy the occurrence there of 

 Alectryonia ungulata; 1 now we have by this new evidence distinct 

 information of the presence of Lower Tertiary deposits, probably 

 capping the Cretaceous formation, in almost the same area of South- 

 Eastern Africa. 



The figures accompanying this notice on Tlate XV are reproduced 

 from photographs of the sections, whilst the specimens themselves 

 have been kindly presented by Mr. Draper to the Geological 

 Department of the British Museum. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE XV. 



Figs. 1 and 2. — Pkoto-process-reproducticms of two thin slices of Xummulitic 

 Limestone (Eocene) prepared by Mr. Frederick Chapman, from hand-specimens 

 obtained by Mr. David Draper, F.G.S., 100 miles to the west of the mouth oi 

 Busi Eiver, in Gaza-land, S.E. Africa, exhibiting sections of the tests of — 

 Nummulites perforata, De Montf. (Fig. 1.) 

 ,, Guettardi, D'Arch. 



,, planulata, Lamk. 



,, JBiaritzensis, D'Arch. (Fig. 2.) 



Orbitohles papyraceus, var., Boubee. 

 The specimens seen in the sections are magnified four diameters. 



V. — Oscillations in the Level of the Land as shown by 

 the Buried Eiver -Valleys and Later Deposits in the 

 Neighbourhood of Liverpool. 2 



By T. Mellard Eeade, F.G.S., 

 President of the Liverpool Geological Society. 



THE geology of the neighbourhood of Liverpool is not on a super- 

 ficial view very attractive. Nevertheless, to those interested 

 in physical geology it presents some phenomena worthy of careful 

 study. 



Treating the subject on Lyellian principles, and proceeding from 

 the latest to the earliest, from the known to the unknown, we 

 have on the coasts of Lancashire and Cheshire an extensive fringe 

 of blown sand. In Lancashire it covers about 22 square miles. 

 In this blown sand I have shown from time to time that many 

 geological phenomena may be studied, some of these being only 

 in miniature. Eor instance, after a wet season succeeded by wind 

 all the features of cross-bedding as exhibited in the Triassic rocks 

 are beautifully developed in the sand cliffs after they have been cut 

 into by a high tide. Again, sometimes after winter's rain the water. 

 banking up inland against the barriers of sandhills, breaks its bonds 



1 Journal of Conchology, 1896, vol. viii, p. 136. 



2 An abstract read before Section C, Liverpool Meeting of the British Association., 

 1896. 



