084 Correspondence—Mr. T. Mellard Reade. 
like the others faulty, from the absence of direct proofs as to, Ist, 
the exact stratigraphical horizon; 2nd, the age of the deposit ; and, 
3rd, the mode by which the information was obtained ” (op. cit. p. 78). 
In addition, Mr. C. Reid (loc. cit.) and Mr. Horace B. Woodward 
(Grou. Mac. 1879, p. 285) both show very plainly that this Cheshire 
tooth is really valueless in the discussion. Henry H. Howorrs. 
Dersy Hovusst, Ecctezs, 
July 5th, 1883. 
CHALK MASSES IN THE CROMER DRIFT. 
Str,—Mr. Searles Wood gives Professor H. G. Seeley, writing in 
1864, as an authority that the old Hythe Pinnacle of chalk figured 
by Sir Charles Lyell in his Hlements, p. 129, is not chalk, “ but only 
re-constructed chalky drift full of all sorts of rocks.” As Lyell ina 
letter to Sir Charles Bunbury in 1864 states that it, “the grandest 
erratic in the world,” had at that time ‘“ totally disappeared,”’’ it is 
difficult to understand how Prof. Seeley in the same year was justified 
in making such a statement. It is rather common now to assume 
that the late generation of geologists made incorrect observations, 
but I shall require better evidence before I can believe that Sir 
Charles could not, in common parlance, distinguish chalk from 
cheese—or say, ‘‘ chalky drift full of all sorts of rocks.” 
But we will assume for the sake of argument that the pinnacle 
was of re-constructed chalk. What then becomes of Mr. Searles 
Wood’s statement that “when the masses of re-constructed chalk 
were brought and sunk deep into the substance of the sea-bed, the 
whole of this county was submerged ”’ ? 
Deep indeed they would have had to be sunk, as the pinnacle in 
question is shown reposing upon the “‘ pan” immediately overlying 
the chalk, with its base imbedded in Till, and the whole upper part 
surrounded and covered with contorted drift. The boulder figured 
by me (p. 231, Q.J.G.S., 1882) is undoubtedly of real chalk, and it 
is not interstratified with the drift. It is also true that there are 
other included masses intermediate between chalk and chalky drift, 
but no hard and fast line in their mode of occurrence can be drawn 
between them. The phenomena are connected, as is well shown?” by 
Mr. H. B. Woodward in his description of the “disturbed chalk at 
Trowse.”’ 
To conclude this correspondence, I cannot accept hypothetical ice- 
sheets as an explanation of the disappearance of what otherwise, by 
Mr. Searles Wood’s theory, we ought to find, and I think I have a 
right to complain that he has a habit, unintentional no doubt, of 
putting among his facts what are in reality only opinions or 
inferences from his own theories. T. Metiarp READE. 
July 5th, 1883. 
1 Life of Lyell, vol. ii. p. 441. Mr. Seeley speaks of pinnacles, whereas Sir 
Charles merely refers to one. 
* Memoir of the Geology of the Country about Norwich. 
Erratum.—Gerou. Mac. July, 1883, p. 332, line 7 from bottom of page for 
alternation read. attenuation. 
