1857-] PRESTWICH BORING AT HARWICH. 249 



and how difficult it is to draw a line of distinction between the two. 

 Neuropteris rarinervis has perfectly the general aspect of a Neuro- 

 pteris ; indeed, if the difference of its veins were overlooked, it might 

 easily be taken for a variety of N. Jlexuosa, with smaller leaflets than 

 usual. Cladophlebis pteroides has more the appearance of a Peco- 

 pteris ; yet in venation the two agree almost exactly. 



5. Neuropteris Loshii, Ad. Brongn. The plant from Felling 

 Colliery, figured as N. Loshii in Lindley and Hutton's * Fossil Flora,' 

 is separated by Sternberg and Goeppert under the name of N. Lind- 

 ley ana ; chiefly, it would seem, because its leaflets are not cordate at 

 the base. Considering how variable a character this is in recent 

 Ferns, I cannot think it a sufficient ground of distinction in this 

 instance ; and I have little doubt that Lindley and Hutton's plant 

 was rightly referred to N Loshii, which seems to be a widely-spread 

 fossil Fern, very abundant in the coal-fields of the Midland counties 

 of England. 



Neuropteris Loshii is found also in the Permian system, namely, 

 in the red sandstone (Rothliegendes) of Saxony ; there are fine spe- 

 cimens of it from that formation in the museum at Dresden, some of 

 them showing, more satisfactorily than any others that I have seen, 

 how very distinct it is from the N. heterophylla. 



Gutbier and Geinitz, in their work on the Permian fossils of Sax- 

 ony, have noticed and figured * specimens of N. Loshii, showing what 

 they consider as appearances of fructification ; but there is so much 

 irregularity in the position of these markings, that I cannot help 

 doubting whether they are really of that nature. 



2. On the Boring through the Chalk at Harwich. 

 By Joseph Prestwich, Esq., F.R.S., Treas. G.S. 



Owing to the insufficient supply and indifferent quality of the water 

 at Harwich, several attempts have from time to time been made to 

 improve that supply by means of deep wells in the Tertiary sands 

 and the Chalk. None of these having been attended with the desired 

 success, although in 1824 and 1826 two borings were carried down 

 to a depth of 293 feet and 192 feet in the Chalk, a public work of 

 great spirit has lately been undertaken under the superintendence of 

 Mr. Peter Bruff, C.E., to bore deep into, and, if necessary, through the 

 Chalk. I saw this well in August 1856. It had not then traversed 

 the Chalk. In November last, however, the Rev. J. H. Marsden 

 informed our Assistant- Secretary that the boring had been success- 

 fully f carried through the Chalk, Upper Greensand, and Gault, and 

 that immediately beneath the latter a "black rock" had been found, 

 of which he sent up a specimen. Mr. Marsden shortly afterwards 

 favoured us with the following section (Column 2), on which, as the 

 geological results are so curious and important, I purpose making a 



* Verst. Perm. Sachs, pi. 4. fig. 2. 



t So far as the work was concerned, but without, I regret to say, having at 

 present found a supply of water. 



