90 Obituary — J. Lomas. 



being otherwise busied at the time, I was unable to investigate the 

 matter. Its bearing, however, on the magnitude of the effect in this 

 instance of what is an established natural phenomenon is obvious and 

 for that reason considerable. 



The cliff took fire early in 1908. IS'otices, descriptions, and 

 explanations appeared in various papers, local and otherwise, and 

 enterprising shopkeepers in Lyme took photos and exhibited them as 

 picture postcards, which they sold as mementos of 'the volcano'. 

 The advertisement attracted visitors to Lyme, and evidently the 

 burning cliff was a source of profit to the Lyme folk. In Charmouth, 

 during April, 1908, it was common talk that when the 'volcanic' 

 activity appeared to be subsiding, disappointed Lyme people poured 

 paraffin on the cliff and relighted it. It is probable that, saturated 

 with enough paraffin, any clay cliff would burn when lighted, and the 

 effect would be commensurate with the amount of oil used. I£ 

 paraffin was poured on the burning part of Black Ven, it has made it 

 impossible to judge the extent of the natural combustion and of its 

 effects. Last April a beautiful specimen of burnt red shale was in 

 the Coach and Horses Hotel at Charmouth, but the interest it would 

 naturally have evoked was spoiled by the siispicion that it was 

 the result not of the heated behaviour of Black Ven, but of the 

 commercial ardour of Lyme speculators. It would be interesting if 

 a future Lyme visitor would investigate the report and establish the 

 truth. In August last the Charmouth world said that the Lyme 

 people had over-reached themselves, and had made so much of the 

 ' volcano ' that intending visitors stayed away through fear. This 

 sounds so unlikely that one is inclined to doubt the truth of the 

 paraffin statement. 



"With apologies for much gossip, even though it contains a warning, 



Passer Yennensis. 



OBITXJ.A.I?,-5r. 



JOSEPH LOMAS, F.G.S. 



BoKX November 18, 1860. Died December 1", 1908. 



Mr. Joseph Lomas, whose sad and premature death we recorded 

 last month, was born at Bugsworth, on the borders of the Derbyshire 

 Peak district, on November 18, 1860. He received his scientific 

 education at the Royal College of Science under Professors Huxley, 

 Judd, and others. In 1885 he was appointed to organize and conduct 

 the teaching of science in the elementary public schools of Liverpool 

 under the School Board, and he was professionally occupied with that 

 work until the end. During his later years he was also a successful 

 " Special Lecturer " in Geology in the IJniversity of Liverpool, which 

 still has no professor of this important branch of science. 



Though equally well trained as a zoologist and as a geologist, 

 Lomas was inclined chiefly towards researches of a geological nature. 

 His most important early work related to questions of Glacial Geology, 

 which he attempted to solve by visits to Switzerland and the Faroe 



