Reports and Proceedings. 129 



dispersion of the Cailloux Ardennais was referable to another and 

 earlier stage of a period of cold, and when the axis of the country 

 had a greater relative elevation than at present. These views were 

 supported by reference to the Coast Section at Sangatte. 



The Boulder-formation proper is only slightly represented in 

 some of the sections about Antwerp. 



With respect to the Lower Kainozoic series, the author preferred 

 the divisions proposed by M. Dumont (Scaldesien and Diestien) to 

 the minute subdivisions of Sir C. Lyell and M. Nyst. The exceed- 

 ingly narrow vertical dimensions of the Crag, and the manner in 

 which, along the continuous sections now exposed, one bed of the 

 Scaldesien Crag replaces another, are new facts, and preclude any 

 systematic order of sequence, founded on percentage comparisons, 

 from local assemblages of fossils. 



The Antwerp Crag series presents two conditions of sea-bed, a 

 deepish-water and life-zone formation, corresponding to the ooze- 

 depths of existing seas ; this is the Diestien of Dumont, or Lower 

 Crag. On an eroded surface of this, there occurs, at Antwerp, an 

 upper series of coarser sands, shingle, and gravel, together with 

 much which has been derived from the lower ; this is the Scaldesien. 

 The change from one to the other indicates a change as to depth 

 over the Crag sea, and the result has been an admixture of the 

 characteristic materials of distinct sea-zones. 



The original boundary line of the Crag sea is traced, as also the 

 great breadth of the drift-sand zone, over the Belgian area ; this, — 

 coupled with the consideration that the Crag sea-waters on the conti- 

 nental coast-line nowhere came in contact with any beds older than 

 Nummulitic, such as Tongrien and Bruxellien, even as high as 

 Denmark, whilst on the English side, from Suffolk north, its coast- 

 line was of chalk with flints, — indicates a closed sea on the south, 

 as alone by such an arrangement could the flint-gravel be carried 

 along. 



The differences between the Crag-fauna of England and of Belgium 

 were explained in acccordance with bathymetrical distribution. The 

 Scaldesien beds of Antwerp contain an assemblage which is composed 

 in part of a littoral fauna, and in part of that of ooze-depths. The 

 Eed Crag of Suffolk differs from the Scaldesien in its forms, as also 

 from containing the materials of a Bryozoan zone. 



The Bolderberg beds, which afforded M. Dumont his evidence in 

 favour of his "Systeme Bolderien," were shown to have been wrongly 

 interpreted, and to belong to the Crag-sea accumulations. 



The following specimens were exhibited : — Miocene Corals from 

 Malta ; presented by Dr. P. Martin Duncan, Sec. G.S. Metamorphic 

 rocks containing remains of plants, from the Alps ; presented by M. 

 Crescenzo Montagna. Specimen of Sagenaria dichotoma from the 

 Clay Cross Coal Company's Mine, Derbyshire ; presented by Mr. 

 Soulby. 



II. February 7, 1866. — W. J. Hamilton, Esq., President, in the 

 chair. The following communications were read : — 1. " On the 



VOL. III. — NO. XXI. 9 



