Geological Societt/ of London. 335 



C. Godwin-Austen in tlie country to the southward, and especially 

 in the valley of the Tillingbourne. 



The deposits near Guildford belonging to the two epochs were 

 noticed in some detail. Both are pre-glacial and have been formed 

 when the climate was temperate. The overlying glacial deposits 

 formed of chalk-detritus, flints and loam are attributed to the 

 action of land-ice, and the probable effects of a low temperature are 

 described and illustrated by those observed on the plateaux around 

 Chang Cheumo in Tibet. 



3. " On the Fructification of ZeiUeria (Sphenopteris) delicatula, 

 Sternb., sp., with remarks on JJrsatopteris (Sphenopteris) tenella, 

 Brongn., sp., and Hymenopliyllites (Sphenopteris) quadridactylites, 

 Gutb., sp." By R. Kidston, Esq., F.G.S. 



In this paper the author noticed the fructification of those species 

 of Ferns which have been described as belonging to the genus 

 Sphenopteris, for two of which he proposed the establishment of new 

 genera. Sphenopteris delicatula, Sternb., referred by Stur to Galym- 

 viatotheca, is made the type of one of these genera, Zeilleria, in 

 which the involucres are borne at the extremity of the pinnule- 

 segments, which are more or less produced to form a pedicel ; in 

 their earlier condition the involucres are globular, but when mature 

 they split into four valves. In Calymmatotheca the fructification 

 consists of a number of elongated sporangia arranged in a circle 

 around a common point of attachment ; in that genus also the fructi- 

 fying portions are destitute of foliage-pinnules, while in Zeilleria 

 there is little difference between the fertile and barren fronds. In 

 the new genus JJrsatopteris, established upon Sphenopteris tenella, 

 Brongn., the barren and fructifying fronds are dissimilar, and the 

 pinn^ of the latter bear two rows of alternate urceolate sporangia, 

 which open at the apex by a small circular pore. Gutbier's Spheno- 

 pteris quadridactylites was shown to belong to the genus Hymenophyl- 

 lites. The three species were described and their synonymy was 

 indicated and discussed at some length. 



4. " On the Eecent Encroachment of the Sea at Westward Ho !, 

 North Devon." By Herbert Green Spearing, Esq. Communicated 

 by Prof. Prestwich, M.A., F.R.S., V.P.G.S. 



The author stated that for the last nine years the sea has en- 

 croached near Westward Ho ! at the rate of about 80 feet annually. 

 The encroachment affects only about a mile of the coast-line, but the 

 sea has gradually worn away part of the Northern Burrows — a 

 sandy common forming the southern portion of the united delta of 

 the Taw and the Torridge, — and partially removed a broad ridge of 

 pebbles which formerly defended the coast line, the pebbles of which, 

 derived from a raised beach, travel in a northerly direction towards 

 the mouth of the river. The sea tends to cut a way through the lower 

 part of the Burrows, isolating part of the pebble ridge and forming 

 a new mouth to the river. The inroads of the sea have laid bare 

 a submerged forest, composed chiefly of oak, birch, and hazel, and 

 containing bones of ox, sheep, deer, dog, pig, and goat, with flint 

 cores and chips, and shells of oysters, limpets, periwinkles, etc. 



