546 Geological Society : — 



or most feeble phase, steam only, with carbonic acid and com- 

 bustible gases. The eruption at Neo Kaimeni has never exceeded 

 the third degree of intensity ; and when it excited the greatest 

 alarm, it gave off only sulphuric acid, steam, and combustible gases. 



3. " Remarks upon the Interval of Time which has passed between 

 the formation of the Upper and Lower Valley- gravels of part of 

 England and France ; with notes on the character of the Holes 

 bored in rocks by Mollusca." By A. Tylor, Esq., F.G.S. 



The difficulties attending investigations into the relative ages of 

 gravel- deposits having been stated, and a resume given of the steps 

 by which the opinions now current on the subject had been arrived 

 at, Mr. Tylor proceeded to combat the view that the Upper and 

 Lower Valley-gravels are separated from each other by a long 

 interval of time. The conclusion that man had existed on the earth 

 from so distant a date as is required by Mr. Prestwich's interpreta- 

 tion of the phenomena exhibited in the valleys of the Somme and 

 other rivers was also considered untenable, and to prove that the 

 theory requiring it is erroneous. 



Accepting Mr. Godwin- Austen's theory of the Pleistocene age of 

 the English Channel, the author inferred from it that the excavation 

 of the transverse valleys of the south-east of England was similar to 

 that of the valleys of Devonshire, which he considers to have been 

 excavated in remote geological periods, and to have been filled with 

 gravel prior to the period of the valley-gravels, at which time the 

 valleys were re- excavated. He then brought forward evidence to 

 show that, in the case of the small valley in which Kent's Hole (180 

 feet above the sea- level) is situated, the gravel has been swept away 

 from the valley during an epoch immediately preceding the historic 

 period, and without any appearance of great denudation of the older 

 rocks, leaving what may be called High- and Low-level Valley- 

 gravels on its slopes as remanie deposits ; and in support of this 

 view he mentioned the presence of human implements in these 

 gravels, the existence of Pholas-perforations on the face of the rock 

 in which are the two openings of Kent's Hole (showing that little 

 weathering had taken place since), as well as the occurrence of a 

 bed of red clay, or loess, 80 feet thick, and 220 feet at its base above 

 the sea-level. 



The age of the Kent's Hole Valley was identified with that of the 

 Valley of the Somme, on account of the similar position of the 

 gravels and of the raised beaches at the coast-line, as well as the 

 similarity of levels and of the organic contents of the detritus in the 

 two valleys. 



In conclusion Mr. Tylor gave a note on the character of holes 

 bored in rocks by Mollusca, with especial reference to the bored 

 rocks at Kent's Hole and Marychurch, about 200 feet above the 

 present sea-level, coming to the conclusion that they have probably 

 been formed by Pholas dactylus. 



May 9.— Warington W.Smyth, Esq., M. A., F.R.S.,Pres., in the Chair. 

 The following communications were read : — 

 1. "On a new species of Acanthodes from the Coal-shales of 



