xliv PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



the sovith or south-east, from whence similar rock-fragments might have 

 come, and from whence, indeed, they have found their way into the 

 gravels that lie beneath the probable equivalents of our northern drift 

 in France. The consideration is at least worthy of notice and inquiry, 

 the more so since there are anomalies, some of them palseontological, 

 which at present tend to make myself, I believe among others, in- 

 clined to object to the usually received notions. We are evidently on 

 the eve of a revival of the study of what used to be called ' diluvial ' 

 deposits — one in which I trust our continental brethren will take more 

 part than at present they seem inclined to. The older and firmer 

 strata, rich in definite sections and fossil treasures, doubtless present 

 greater attractions than the inconstant charms of gravel beds and 

 sand pits, which, however, if perseveringly studied, are sure to yield 

 their votaries abundant reward and ample results. 



The gravels of Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire have been noticed 

 by the Rev. W. Thorp, in a paper published in the Proceedings of the 

 West Riding Geological and Polytechnic Society. He distinguishes 

 three sets of gravels derived from different transporting currents, 

 and notices the existence of considerable tracts that are quite bare. 

 The first and most considerable of these gravels belongs to the northern 

 drift, and contains fragments of rocks now in situ in Cumberland. 

 It reaches considerable elevations ; masses of granite from Shap Fells 

 having passed over Stanmoor Forest at an altitude of 1400 feet, and 

 over oolitic hills 1 500 feet high, down to the east coast. The second 

 range of gravel constitutes in one place a narrow tract, from one to 

 two miles in breadth, touching the northern drift near the river 

 Humber, and extending from Leeds by Ferrybridge to Goole. It 

 contains pebbles derived almost wholly from sandstones of the coal 

 districts ot \orkshire, mingled with fragments from the mountain 

 limestone, and does not extend much north or south of the valleys 

 of the Aire and Calder. Leeds stands upon it. llie direction of 

 the transporting current was from west to east. A similar east and 

 west range extends from Doncaster to the south bank of the Plumber, 

 formed of coal sandstone pebbles, mingled with others from the 

 mountain limestone of Derb^^shire. He places other east and west 

 gravels composed of magnesian limestone pebbles in the same cate- 

 gory. The third set of gravels noticed by Mr. Thorp is peculiar 

 to Nottinghamshire. It extends uninterruptedly southwards from 

 Doncaster to the town of Nottingham, lying on the back of the new 

 red sandstone, spreading in a thickness of from 3 to 8 feet, but not 

 present on very abrupt hill sides. South of Nottingham and Derby 

 it becomes intermingled with the northern drift, but in several places 

 is capped by the magnesian limestone gravels of the second set. 

 This third gravel contains no pebbles derived from the neighbouring 

 strata, but is almost entirely made up of quartz fragments, smaller, 

 more even, and more spherical than the boulders of the northern drift. 

 Their drifting currents flowed north and south. Mr. Thorp main- 

 tains that this gravel constituted the ancient sea-bottom left by the 

 waters which deposited the new red sandstone itself. The gravels of 

 his second kind he believes to have been exported from the York- 



