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SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



GEOLOGICAL FIELD CLASS. 



'T^HE London Geological Field Class, which ^ 



v.as established in iS86 to impart practical 

 knovrledge of the Physical Geography and Geology 

 of the London district, commences the summer 

 course for 1897 on May ist. The teaching is 

 gi%-en during excursions made on Saturday after- 

 noons, between the beginning of ]SIay and the 

 middle of July. It has been organized and carried 

 on by Professor H. G. Seeley during the past 

 eleven years, in the form of short lectures upon 

 rock-structures and fossils seen in quarries, and 

 explanations of the contours of the hills, valleys, 

 and river channels which are examined. The 

 excursions illustrate the principles of geology by 

 means of facts which appeal to the eye in scenery' 

 which is easy of access. They are open to ladies 

 and gentlemen. They are not designed exclusively 

 for students preparing for examinations, but are 

 intended for all vrho are interested in nature, and 

 find pleasure in examining the form and structure 

 of the country. 



Professor Seeley revises any notes of geographical 

 or geological structures seen or drawn in the 

 excursions which are sent to him by post, and 

 generally assists the members of the class in their 

 investigations. Reports written by members of the 

 Field Class form the " Handbook" of the London 

 Geological Field Class, v.hich is published by 

 Mr. G. Philip, of London. The volume records 

 some of the obserx^ations made during past years. 



This year a distinctive feature v.lLI be the 

 examination in successive excursions of a line of 

 country running north to south, so as to see the 

 succession of the strata between Sheppey and 

 Tunbridge WeUs, to illustrate the physical 

 geography and geology of hills, valleys and rivers 

 in the basin of the Thames. 



The excursions will be personally conducted by 

 Professor H. G. Seeley, F.R.S., and will be as 

 follows : First Series, Hon. Class Secretary, 

 Stephen Miall, B.Sc, LL.B.. 4, Endsleigh Street, 

 W.C. (i) ISIay ist, Leith Hill (Lower Greensandj ; 

 leave London Bridge 2, arrive Holmwood 3.17; 

 leave Dorking S.23, arrive London Bridge 9.40. 

 (2) May Sth, Caterham to Redhill, via Godstone 

 (Upper Greensand) ; leave Cannon Street 2.17, 

 arrive Caterham 3.12 ; leave Redhill 8.50, arrive 

 Cannon Street 9.37. (3) May 15th, Snodland to 

 Aylesford (Gault) ; leave Cannon Street 2.37, arrive 

 Snodland 4.5 ; leave Aylesford S.54, arrive Cannon 

 Street 10.17. (4) ^^ay 22nd, Tunbridge Wells 

 f\.Vealden Beds) ; leave Cannon Street 2.23, arrive 

 Tunbridge Wells 3.40 ; leave Ttmbridge AVells S.5, 

 arrive Cannon Street 9.10. (5) May 25th, Sheer- 

 ness, drive to East Chtirch, Hensbrook (London 



Clay); leave Holbom Viaduct 1.25, arrive Queen- 

 borough 3.25 ; leave Sheemess 8.5, arrive Holbom 

 10.10. Second Series, Hon. Class Secretary, 

 J. W. Jar\-is, St. Mark's College. Chelsea, S.W. 

 (6) June i2th, Coulsdon to Merstham (Lower 

 Chalk) ; leave Cannon Street 2.17, arrive Coulsdon 

 2.59 ; leave Merstham 7.55, arrive Cannon Street 

 S.37. There will be no excursion on Saturday, 

 June 19th. (7) June 26th, Aylesford to Maidstone 

 (Lower Greensand) ; leave Cannon Street 2.37, 

 arrive Aylesford 4.9; leave Maidstone, 8.45, arrive 

 Cannon Street 10.17. (8) July 3rd, Hailing to 

 Rochester (Chalk) ; leave Cannon Street 2.42, arrive 

 Hailing 4.10 ; leave Rochester 8.58, arrive Cannon 

 Street 9.55. (g) July loth, Hildenboro' to Seven- 

 oaks (Lovrer Greensand) ; leave Cannon Street 2.23, 

 arrive HUdenboro' 3.42 ; leave Sevenoaks 7.49, 

 arrive Cannon Street 8.55. (10) July 17th, Upnor 

 and Rochester (Thanet Sands and Woolwich and 

 Reading Bedsj ; leave Cannon Street 2.37, arrive 

 Strood 3.51 : leave Rochester 8.58, arrive Cannon 

 Street 9.55. 



The v.-alking distance is usually from three to 

 five rmles. Arrangements will be made so that tea 

 may be taken, at a fixed price, at the place from 

 v.hich the return journey is made. The railway 

 companies \^-ill issue tickets for the excursions to 

 members at greath- reduced rates. Rain wall not 

 prevent the excursions. Attention is dra%\-n to 

 Sheet 12 of the Index Geological Map of England 

 and Wales, which includes all the localities \-isited 

 b}- the Field Class. The contoured maps of the new 

 Ordnance Sur\-ey are useful. Mr. W. Whitaker's 

 " Geology of London," vol. i., gives in detail the 

 tertiary geology of this district. 



All travelling arrangements, and other details for 

 the comfort of members, are made by the Committee 

 and Honorary Secretaries of the Class. Members 

 are also elected bj- the Committee, which consists 

 of the following : — H. G. Seeley, Nicol Brown, 

 R. H. Bentley, J. W. Jar^-is, S. Miall, W. Creighton, 

 H. G. Erith, J. B. George, J. Herbert Hodd, J. 

 Kidd, A. L. Mann, W. W. R. May, J. E. Piper, 

 G. Prosser, and ^I. Y. Woolf. The number of 

 members is necessarily limited. The fee for the 

 season's excursions is one guinea ; for the first four, 

 or for the last four, it is half-a-guinea. Old 

 members pay half-a-guinea for any four excursions, 

 and three shillings for any single excursion, ^^'hen 

 circumstances permit, and adequate notice is given, 

 members have the pri\-ilege of introducing a friend, 

 on payment of three shillings for a single excursion. 

 Particulars of membership may be obtained from 

 the Honorary- General Secretary, R. Herbert 

 Bentley, 43, Gloucester Road, South Homsey, N. 



