ON THE PLEISTOCENE SUCCESSION IN THE TRENT BASIN. 437 



37. The Pleistocene Succession in the Trent Basin. By R. M. 

 Deeley, Esq., F.G.S. (Kead May 12, 1886.) 



Introduction. 



Though the glacial deposits of some portions of the Trent basin 

 have received a considerable degree of attention, no really syste- 

 matic attempt has yet been made to ascertain their succession, or 

 even to trace the horizontal extension of the more important 

 members of the series. Mr. D. Mackintosh * has certainly stated 

 his opinion concerning the westerly extension of the Great Chalky 

 Boulder-clay, and Mr. Searles V. Wood, Junior t, has also dealt 

 more or less theoretically with the whole subject; but before 

 anything like certainty on these points can be arrived at, the 

 succession over the whole area must be ascertained, and the hori- 

 zontal extension of each member of the series traced. 



Sections have also been described by the Eev. Dr. Crosskeyi, 

 Mr. W. J. Harrison §, Mr. James Shipman i|, Mr. Molj-neux^, 

 the officers of the Geological Survey, &c. &c. Many of these 

 exposures, however, are now obscured by talus or overgrown with 

 vegetation, while others I have not been able to visit. Indeed the 

 following paper must be regarded as an endeavour to ascertain the 

 succession obtaining in the Pleistocene deposits of the Trent basin, 

 as shown by sections which I have myself examined, rather than 

 as a detailed account of their distribution. 



For assistance in much of the field-work, especially that portion 

 relating to Nottinghamshire, I am indebted to Mr. J. Shipman. My 

 thanks are also due to Mr. A. J. Jukes-Browne, for his advice, 

 and to Mr. J. J. Harris Teall, for the use of his notes. 



The observations recorded in this paper were commenced as far 

 back as 1879, in company with Mr. Shipman. At first it was not 

 contemplated to do more than trace out the relations of the drift 

 and alluvial deposits of the country around Nottingham and Derby ; 

 but as the work progressed it became clear that in order to do 

 justice to the subject, even as regards this limited area, it was 

 necessary to extend our researches much further afield. This was 

 accordingly done ; but, unfortunately, the pressure of Mr. Shipman's 

 engagements prevented him from pursuing the subject with me to 

 the end, and in 188-1 he left me to continue the work alone ; even- 

 tually I decided to take in as much as possible of the great natural 

 geographical division included within the watershed of the river 

 Trent. 



* Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. 1879, 1880. 

 t Op. cit. 1880. 



\ Proceedings of the Birmingham Philosophical Society, vol. iii, pt. 2. 

 § Geology of the Counties of England and Wales. 

 II Geology of the Parish of Lenton. 



% Burton-on-Trent ; its History, its Waters, and its Breweries. 

 Q.J.G.S. No. 168. 2h 



