411 
deep was sunk in alluvial soil; and Prof. Nordenskiéld observed on 
the surface of some fragments which had been blasted from a rock 
at the bottom of the shaft, similar lmes to those which occur on the 
mountains, but he was unable to determine their direction, the exca- 
vation being filled with water and mud. As the rock was twenty 
feet below the surface of the water in the Finnish Gulf, this fact, 
Professor Nordenskiold says, proves that the lines which traverse 
the mountains exist also at least twenty feet beneath the level of 
‘the Gulf. Another phenomenon of this nature lately observed by 
him is a furrowed rock of gneiss, not far from Porkala, but six 
wersts from the shore. ‘The rock is flat and not very large, and at 
the height of nine feet above the medium level of the water, is one 
of the round holes called by the Swedes, “ Giants’ Pots,” but of an 
unusually large size, being about three feet by two and a half feet. 
It was somewhat larger within, and sixteen feet deep. Professor 
Nordenskidld had the water and detritus which it contained taken 
out, and found at the bottom numerous perfectly rounded stones 
mixed up with the mud. The sides of the Pot were exactly ground, 
and as resplendent as gneiss can be made. At the east side the 
brim was somewhat rounded, and well marked with a number of 
large, flat, east and west furrows, showing, in Professor Nordens- 
kidld’s opmion, ‘‘ that the stones and waves had on that side driven. 
in the brim at the time of its formation.” On the opposite side the 
margin was quite sharp, as if the rock had been broken away since 
the cavity had been ground. On the surface of the rock were north 
and south lines similar to those on the mountains, and they inter- 
sected the east and west furrows mentioned above ; Professor Nord- 
enskiéld therefore infers that the lines were made subsequent to the 
formation of the Giants’ Pot. 
With respect to the level of the water in the Finnish Gulf, the 
following changes are shown to have taken place. On the little 
island of Fussaro, some miles from Hangévdd, and in the open sea, 
a mark which was made in the year 1754 is now twenty Swedish 
(194 English) inches above the medium height of the water; an- 
other which was cut in 1800 is about nine inches; and a ‘third 
excavated in 1821 is about: five Swedish inches. At St. Petersburg 
and Cronstadt it is believed that no change has taken place since 
1645. 
A letter, addressed to Dr. Buckland by Mr. Thomas Bailey, ‘‘ Qn 
the Gravel’ Deposits in the Neighbourhood of Basford,” was next 
read. 
The parish of Basford is situated in a valley ranging nearly north 
and south where it enters the great Trent vale. On the eastern 
boundary, which is a very elevated district, commences an extensive 
argillaceous bed containing comparatively few pebbles ; on the west 
are the coal-fields of Radford and Bilborough; on the north-west 
occurs the magnesian limestone which extends beyond Mansfield ; 
'and on the north is the elevated tract or ancient forest of Hurwood, 
2m 2 
