418 Dr. E. Greenly— 



Above all, the form of the accumulations, and especially th e mode 

 of distribution with reference to physiographical features, are 

 identical ; the Clevedon drifts clinging to the hills in the manner 

 of a true " Flankenlehm " (Fig. 3). Eichthofen describes the 

 characteristic profile of loess in hilly countries as that of a rope 

 stretched loosely across from bill to hill, and it will be seen from 

 Fig. 4 (whose vertical and horizontal scales are equal) that this is 

 precisely the profile of the drifts in the Vale of Gordano. There is 

 also the same asymmetry, the Clevedon " Flankenlehm " being 

 banked up more thickly on southern than on northern slopes ; with 

 reason, in each case, to ascribe this to the direction of the prevailing 

 winds. 



Turning to the fauna, we find that of both formations to be 

 thoroughly terrestrial, the only exception being that at Clevedon, 

 which is close to the sea, there are two species of sea-birds, with 

 five fragments of'marine organisms that could have been brought by 

 them or the other large carnivorous birds. Land-shells are locally 

 abundant in the Loess, though very sporadically, bemg often absent 

 altogether ; and this is precisely their mode of distribution at 

 Clevedon. Four genera and sub-genera {Helix, Hygromia, Succinea, 

 Pupa), and two species are common to both formations, Helix 

 {Hygromia) hisjnda Lmn.^ and Pupa muscorum Linn., which 

 are the most characteristic shells of the Loess, being found in 

 great numbers at Clevedon. Vertebrates, locally abundant in the 

 Loess, are locally abundant at Clevedon. More than eight mammalian 

 genera (horse, bear, wolf, fox, Arctic fox, rabbit, voles, and lemming) 

 and six species (with one or two birds) are common to the two. The 

 voles, remarkably numerous in the Loess, were found in hundreds, 

 at Holly Lane, with a goodly number of bones referred to the Norway 

 Lemming, a characteristic Loess form. The mode of occurrence of 

 the vertebrates was the same iia each case, for they are crowded 

 together in rock-shelters, caves, and crannies. 



Altogether, out of twenty-three characteristics, there may be said 

 to be twenty correspondences, and two partial differences. There is 

 only one complete contrast, that of the marine organisms, which is, 

 of course, readily explicable by the proximity of the sea. The tabular 

 presentation given will perhaps bring these out more clearly. la 

 this table the symbols are : — 



Decided Development . . — 



Imperfect Development. . X 



No Development ... 



Characteristics. Loess. Clevedon. 

 Loam abundant, siliceous, feebly plastic . — — 



Loamy Sand abundant .... X — 



^ Mr. Kennard remarks that the variety of H. hispida which he has from 

 several locahties in the Loess of Germany has not yet been found in Britain^ 

 It is small, and resembles the living Lake District variety of the present day. 

 Also that H. aspieca and H. virgata have not been found in the European 

 Loess, being recent introductions into Central Europe. 



