574 Reports and Proceedings — Geological Societt/ of London. 



was a weathered and decalcified brown loam, and the geologists who 

 have given testimony could not express opinions ^^hether or not there 

 had been evidence of interment. 



In Dr. A. Keith's "Description of the Ipswich Skeleton" (with 

 illustrations) he refers to the Heidelberg jaw and the fossil man of 

 Java, observing that " the Ipswich man differed profoundly from 

 both of these, and in every point in which he diifers from them he 

 approaches modern man". Further and more precise evidence is 

 required, and although we agree that many rude pre-Palseolithic or 

 Eolithic implements may have been utilized by man in early 

 Pleistocene T;imes, we have yet to be convinced that he lived in 

 Britain during the Pliocene period. 



Note. — Several references have already been made to the Ipswich skeleton : 

 see article by G. Salter, Geol. Mag., April, 1912, pp. 164-9; letter by 

 Professor T. McKenny Hughes, F.R.S., April, pp. 187-8 ; letter by J. Eeid 

 Moir, May, pp. 239-40 ; Eeport Royal Anthropological Institute, June, 

 pp. 287-8. 



XE. — Brief Notices. 



1. United States Geological Survey. — From this institution we 

 have received a list (pp. 116, with good index, 1912) of all the serial 

 publicatious of the Survey, including Annual Reports, Monographs, 

 Professional Papers, Bulletins, Water-supply and Irrigation Papers, 

 Mineral Resources, Topographic Atlas (folios and separate sheets), 

 and Geological Atlas (folios). The list is complete to date, except as 

 regards the particulais of the topographic maps and authors of both 

 memoirs and maps are recorded. 



2. Geological Survey of Western Australia. — The Annual 

 Progress Report of this Survey for 1911 (Perth, 1912) by the 

 Government Geologist, Mr. A. Gibb Maitland, contains brief records 

 of the work done in the field, office, and laboratory. It is noted that 

 samples of fergusonite (tantalate of yttrium) from Cooglegong prove 

 to be of economic importance, and may lead to an industry for the 

 preparation of tantalum salts. Since the new radio-active mineral, 

 pilbarite, was discovered at Wodgina, two further minerals containing 

 uranium, radium, and thorium have been found in the same lode. 

 These may be identified with mackintoshite and thorogummite, 

 previously recorded from Texas. All three minerals are of high 

 commercial value. 



Gkological Society of Lond(^n. 

 Novemher 6, 1912. — Dr. Aubrey Strahan, F.R.S., President, 

 in the Chair. 

 The following communications were read : — 



1, "A Contribution to our Knowledge of Wealden Floras, with 

 Special Reference to a Collection of Plants from Sussex." Bv 

 Albert Charles Seward, M.A., F.R.S., F.L.S., F.G.S., Professor o"f 

 Botany in Cambridge University. 



In this paper an account is given of specimens of Wealden plants 



