264 Reports and, Proceedings. 



of time. The conclusion that man had existed on the earth from so 

 distant a date as is required by Mr. Prestwich's interpretation of the 

 phenomena exhibited in the valleys of the Somme and other rivers 

 was also considered iintenable, and the author endeavoured to prove 

 that the theory requiring it was erroneous. 



Accepting Mr. Godwin- Au.sten's theory of the Pleistocene age of 

 the English Channel, the author inferred from it that the excavation 

 of the transverse valleys of the south-east of England was similar to 

 that of the valleys of Devonshire, which he considers to have been 

 excavated in remote geological periods, and to have been filled with 

 gravel prior to the period of the valley-gravels, at which time the 

 valleys were re-excavated. He then brought forward evidence to 

 show that, in the case of the small valley in which Kent's Hole (180 

 feet above the sea-level) is situated, the gravel has been swept away 

 from the valley during an epoch immediately preceding the historic 

 period, and without any appearance of great denudation of the older 

 rocks, leaving what may be called High- and Low-level Valley- 

 gravels on its slopes as remanie deposits ; and in support of this 

 view he mentioned the presence of human implements in these 

 gravels, the existence of Pholas-perforations on the face of the rock 

 in which are the two openings of Kent's Hole (showing that little 

 weathering had taken place since), as well as the occurrence of a 

 bed of red clay, or loess, 80 feet thick, and 220 feet at its base above 

 the sea-level. 



The age of the Kent's Hole Valley was identified with that of the 

 Valley of the Somme, on account of the similar position of the gravels 

 and of the raised beaches at the coast-line, as well as the similarity 

 of levels, and of the organic contents of the detritus in the two 

 valleys. 



In conclusion, Mr. Tylor gave a note on the character of holes bored 

 in rocks by Mollusca, with especial reference to the bored rocks at 

 Kent's Hole and Marychurch, about 200 feet above the present sea- 

 level, coming to the conclusion that they have probably been formed 

 by Pholas dactylus. 



The following specimens were exhibited: — 1. An almost perfect 

 skull of Bhinoceros leptorliinns, from the Brick-earth of Ilford ; ex- 

 hibited by Antonio Brady, Esq., E.G-.S. 2. Perforated limestone from 

 Devonshire, and Chalk from Brighton, bored by Pholas dactylus ; 

 exhibited by AKred Tylor, Esq., E.L.S., F.G.S. 3. Miscellaneous 

 rocks and shells bored by Pholas, Saxicava, Gastrochcena, etc. ; ex- 

 hibited by Henry Woodward, Esq., E.G.S., F.Z.S. 4. Specimen of 

 gneiss perforated by Pholas dactylus ; exhibited by Prof. T. H. 

 Huxley, F.E.S., V.P.G.S. 



n.— May 9, 1866. — Warington W. Smyth, Esq., M.A., F.E.S., 

 President, in the chair. The following communications were read : — 

 1. " On a new species of Acanthodes from the Coal-shales of Long- 

 ton," By Sir PhUip de M. Grey Egerton, Bart., M.P., F.E.S., 

 V.P.G.S. 



Owing to the kindness of Mr. Ward, of Longton, the author had 



