236 Geological Society : — 



January 7, 1S63.— Prof. A. C. Ramsay, President, in the Chair. 



The following communications were read : — 



1. "On the Lower Carboniferous Brachiopoda of Nova Scotia." 

 By T. Davidson, Esq., F.R.S., F.G.S. 



The age of these beds was stated to have been first clearly deter- 

 mined by Sir C. Lyell ; and the author, having mentioned his con- 

 currence in the views of that geologist on this question, proceeded 

 to point out the affinities of the entire Carboniferous formation 

 to the Permian, and observed that many species, especially of Bra- 

 chiopoda, are common to both formations. He combated the idea of 

 a universal extinction of species at the close of the Palaeozoic epoch, 

 on the ground that some Palaeozoic species pass upwards into Meso- 

 zoic strata ; and then, after remarking upon the vagueness of the 

 term ' species,' proceeded to show that science was not yet in a 

 condition to enable us to test satisfactorily, by observation, the value 

 of Mr. Darwin's theory of descent with modification. Mr. Davidson 

 then remarked that the Lower Carboniferous Brachiopoda of Nova 

 Scotia were smaller than the same or representative species occurring 

 in contemporaneous strata in other parts of the world; and he con- 

 cluded by giving diagnoses of the species determined by him, and 

 comparing his list of species with that given by Sir C. Lyell in his 

 ' Travels in North America.' 



2. " On the Gravels and other superficial Deposits of Ludlow, 

 Hereford, and Skipton." By T. Curley, Esq., C.E., F.G.S. 



In describing some plans and sections taken during the progress 

 of drainage-works in Ludlow, Hereford, and Skipton, the author 

 pointed out the relations of the older rocks to the contiguous gravel- 

 deposits ; he mentioned the existence, near Ludlow, of two kinds of 

 gravel, having a difference of level of about 100 feet, described three 

 terraces of a like nature, about 30 or 40 feet apart vertically, in the 

 vicinity of Hereford, and then noticed the similar deposits near 

 Skipton. Mr. Curley considers the majority of these gravel-beds to 

 be of lacustrine origin. 



January 21, 1863. — Prof. A. C. Ramsay, President, in the Chair. 



The following communications were read : — 



1. " On a Northerly Extension of the Upper Silurian 'Passage- 

 beds' to Linley, Salop." By George E. Roberts, Esq., and John 

 Randall, Esq. Communicated by the President. 



Sections obtained by the authors along the course of Linley 

 Brook, near Bridgenorth, Salop, were shown to exhibit an ascending 

 series of deposits from Aymestry shales, through Upper Ludlow 

 rock, Downton sandstones (with bone-bed), grey shales and grits 

 (with bone-bed), and plant-bearing shales, to Old Pved clays. The 

 lower bone-bed was stated to be chiefly composed of scales of 

 Thelodus and broken Lingula, and the higher one to contain a more 

 than usual abundance of fish-spines ; and it was remarked that 

 crustacean remains were altogether absent, but Lingula cornea had 

 a range upwards to the Old Red clay. The authors considered the 

 physical conditions of the period to be those indicated by the 



