J. W. Evans ^ R. W. Pocock—Acje of the Morte Slates. 113 



The collection also includes remains of a large Linotherium, which 

 seems to indicate tliat the beds are older than those containing the 

 tooth now described. Possibly, however, the Binotherium may not be 

 from the same horizon as the elephant, ia which case the latter may 

 be the same species as our specimen. 



A fragment of a molar, such as is here described, is not sufficient to 

 found a new species on, but it shows that in the Sudan, as in other 

 parts of Africa, the modern African elephant was preceded by a species 

 more nearly approximating to forms found in other parts of the woiid. 

 In this case the form preceding the modern species seems to have been 

 practically an E. meridioyialis, in which the molars had become much 

 more hypsodont than in the European specimens. 



It is greatly to be desired that, if jDossible, further collections be 

 made from the deposits in which this interesting tooth was found. 



V. — The Age of the Mokte Slates. 



By Dr. J. W. Evans, D.Sc, LL.B., F.G.S., and E. W. PococK, B.Sc, F.G.S. 



rnHE discovery by Professor Reynolds in the Mendips strata 

 JL representing the greater portion of the Silurian succession (Rep. 

 Brit. Assoc. Portsmouth, 1911), showing no similarity to the slates of 

 Mortehoe and the neighbourhood, has rendered it more difficult than 

 ever to accept the attribution by Dr. Hicks of the latter rocks to the 

 Silurian period (Q.J.Gr.S., vol. lii, p. 254, 1896) ; and now an important 

 fact has come to light which appears to afford decisive evidence on 

 this question. 



Mr. J. Gr. Hamling, whose valuable contributions to our knowledge 

 of the rocks of North Devon are well known, recently entrusted 

 the authors, who are now working at the Morte Slates, with some 

 exceptionally well-preserved specimens of fossils from Barricane 

 Beach, on the Mortehoe side of Woolacombe, which were included in 

 the exhibits of the Geologists' Association at the Shepherd's Bush 

 Exhibition. Among these are examples of a Spirifer, evidently identical 

 with 8p. Hamling i, Hicks, from the same locality but in a better state of 

 preservation than the type, judging by the figure in Dr. Hicks' paper ; 

 the authors have been unable to trace the original. 



Mr. Hamling states that the new specimens, which are embedded 

 in a matrix of yellowish grit, were found beside the path down to 

 Barricane Beach. They were not actually in situ when discovered, 

 but he has no doubt that they came from a small section close by, 

 which was opened to obtain material to mend the path shortly before 

 he visited the spot. The exact locality is three or four yards up the 

 path from the beach on the left when ascending. He spent some time 

 trying to find the grit in situ, but without success, and believes that 

 it occurs in lenticles, and that the workmen dug out the whole of 

 this particular lenticle, which was probably of no great length. The 

 material employed on the path exactly matched that which remained 

 in the newly excavated section, and nothing was brought from else- 

 where. Dr. Hicks obtained his specimen of the Spirifer from the 

 same place, but a little further down. It may be added that one of 

 the fragments in which the fossils are embedded shows on one side 



DECADE V. — VOL. IX. — NO. HI. 8 



