372 Gunn — Glacial Deposits on the East Coast. 



Admitting fully the correctness of Mr, Taylor's observations 

 with respect to the increasingly Arctic character of the shells found 

 in the Upper Crag at Bramerton, Thorpe, Horstead, Weybourne, and 

 other places, and also with respect to the increasing depth of the 

 sea in which they were deposited, he stated that a question arose as 

 to the position and sequence of stratification of the Forest Bed, 

 so rich in Mammalian remains. On the one hand, the abun- 

 dance of the Mastodon in the true Norwich Mammaliferous Crag 

 forbids us to imagine that the Forest Bed, in which no remains of the 

 Mastodon ha-ve been detected, could have preceded that Norwich 

 crag. On the other hand, the Arctic character of the shells in the 

 Upper bed forbids us equally to believe that it could have succeeded 

 that deposit, and yet all these several beds have hitherto been 

 massed together under the name of Norwich Crag. This difficulty 

 in assigning its true position and place to the Forest Bed is greatly 

 augmented by the increase of depths of water in which the upper 

 bed of shells has been deposited. Either the Forest Bed must have 

 preceded the Mammaliferous Norwich Crag, which abounded with 

 the Mastodon, or else there must have been oscillations of level 

 of land and water, and change of climate, to admit of a forest 

 flourishing for ages, as appears from the profusion and variety of 

 Mammalian remains. The only alternative seems to be to dissociate 

 the Mastodon Crag, which is confined to the layer of large stones 

 upon the Chalk, altogether from the upper beds of Crag-shells, and 

 to place the Forest Bed next in order above the Mastodon Crag, and 

 the upper beds of Crag-shells in the marine part of the laminated beds. 



In justice to Mr. Searles "Wood, jun., he mentioned that that 

 gentleman concurred in placing the Chillesford Crag and also the 

 upper Weybourne Crag in more recent beds than the Mammaliferous 

 Norwich Crag ; as recent as the Lower Drift, but Mr. Wood appears 

 to place the drift at an earlier period than Mr. Gunn did, and to 

 include the laminated beds and the Forest Bed in it, so that the 

 difference between their views was more nominal than real. 



He had some doubts as to where to draw the line between the true 

 Mammaliferous or Mastodon Crag and the Upper bed ; but he was 

 certain the Forest Bed could not have come after the Upper Crag 

 unless there was a change of climate or of level. He had no doubt 

 tbat the Chalk hills, upon which the Mastodon lived, remained ex- 

 posed as a land-surface, for a long period, and in this opinion he was 

 supported by Dr. and Mr. H. Woodward. The Forest Bed was a 

 most important stratum, as it made us acquainted with the fauna and 

 flora of an ancient terrestrial epoch of considerable duration. 



The Rev. J. Crompton, M.A., read a paper on Lake Dwellings, 

 as described by Herodotus, (Lib. V. c. 16). 



CoTTEswoLD Naturalists' Field-cltjb. — At the annual meeting 

 of this Club, Sir W. V. Gruise, Bart., in the chair, about thirty 

 members assembled. Sir William Guise was unanimously re-elected 

 as President. The re-election of Dr. Paine, as Honorary Secretary, 

 was also proposed and carried. 



