5 14 Geological Society. 



an opportunity of ascertaining whether the gravels at that lower 

 level exhibited any features different from those of the upper level 

 at Biddenham. Although, as might have been expected, some of 

 the species of mammals were found to be common to the two 

 localities, yet that under notice furnished some species of mammals, 

 as well as of land and freshwater shells, together with a few types of 

 flint implements, differing from those met with at higher levels. 



Mr. Wyatt described the section at Summerhouse Hill in detail, 

 showing that it tended to support Mr. Prestwich's opinions respect- 

 ing the formation of gravel-beds ; he also described the Flint Imple- 

 ments he had recently found, comparing them with known speci- 

 mens from the Valley of the Somme and elsewhere ; and he stated 

 that he was now enabled to add two new localities near Bedford — 

 Summerhouse Hill and Honey Hill — to those already known as 

 having furnished similar weapons. 



2. " On some Recent Discoveries of Flint Implements in Drift 

 Deposits in Hants and Wilts." By John Evans, Esq., F.G.S., F.S.A. 



Flint Implements having recently been found on the sea- shore 

 about midway between Southampton and Gosport, by Mr. James 

 Brown, of Salisbury, and also at Fisherton, near Salisbury, by Dr. 

 H. P. Blackmore of that place, the author visited these localities in 

 company with Mr. Prestwich, and gave the results of his observa- 

 tions in this paper. 



After describing the implements from near Southampton, and 

 having shown that their condition is identical with that of the 

 materials composing the gravel capping the adjacent cliff, Mr. 

 Evans proceeded to review the evidence of the great antiquity of 

 these remains, which rested mainly on the circumstance that these 

 gravel-beds, like those of Reculver, are of fluviatile origin, although 

 now abutting on the sea. 



In like manner the author then described the Fisherton imple- 

 ments, and the gravel-pits from which they were obtained. The 

 relation of the high-level gravels (in which the implements were 

 found) to the lower-level gravels of the valley of the Avon was next 

 discussed, and the geological features of the former deposits particu- 

 larly described, lists of the fossils (including the Mammalia and the 

 Land and Freshwater Shells) being also given. Mr. Evans came to 

 the conclusion that the fossils bore evidence of the climate, at the 

 time when they were deposited, having been more rigorous, at any 

 rate in the winter, than it now is ; and to this cause he attributed 

 the comparatively greater excavating power of the early Postplio- 

 cene rivers. 



March 9. — W. J. Hamilton, President, in the Chair. 



The following communications were read : — 



1. " On the Discovery of the Scales of Pteraspis, with some re- 

 marks on the Cephalic Shield of that Fish." By E. Ray Lankester, 

 Esq. Communicated by Prof. T. H. Huxley, F.R.S., F.G.S. 



The successive steps by which the genus Pteraspis came to be 



