Oil Submerged Land-surfaces at Barry. 119 



laceous sandstone referred by the U.S. Geological Survey to the 

 Triassic or Jura-Trias period, which is found on a low tableland 

 within 2 miles of the bluffs overlooking Glen Canyon. The marks 

 commonly appear as straight lines intersecting at right angles, but 

 some have a pinnate distribution, suggesting engravings of frost- 

 flowers. A description of the markings is given, and various 

 experiments made in the laboratory to illustrate the effects of 

 formation of crystals formed over sediment are described. 



March 25th. — Dr. Henry Hicks, F.R.S., President, 

 in the Chair. 



The following communications were read : — 



1. 'On Submerged Land-surfaces at Barry, Glamorganshire/ 

 By A. Strahan, Esq., M.A., F.G.S. With Notes on the Fauna and 

 Flora by Clement Reid, Esq., F.L.S., F.G.S. , and an Appendix on 

 the Microzoa by Prof. T. Rupert Jones, F.R.S., F.G.S., and 

 F. Chapman, Esq., F.R.M.S. 



Excavations for a new dock at Barry have disclosed a series of 

 freshwater or slightly estuarine silts with intercalated peats, below 

 sea-level on the north-eastern side of the island. The site of the 

 excavation was overflowed by the tide until the year 1884, when the 

 docks were commenced. The newest deposits seen are therefore 

 Blown Sand, Scrobiadaria-Qlay , and sand or shingle with recent 

 marine shells. 



These rest on an eroded surface of blue silt, with sedges in 

 position of growth. Four peat-beds occur in this silt, at 4, 11, 

 20, and 35 feet below Ordnance datum respectively. The upper- 

 most peat contains a seam of shell-marl, partly composed of the 

 shells of ostracoda and partly of Byiliinia, Limncea, &c. The 

 second is a mass of matted sedges. The third is a land-surface, and 

 in places consists almost wholly of timber with the stools and roots 

 in situ. The fourth is also an old land-surface, as is proved not 

 only by the presence of roots in place beneath it, but by numerous 

 land-shells. A fragment of a polished flint-celt was found by 

 Mr. Storrie embedded in the lower part of the uppermost peat. 



By a comparison with the existing maritime marshes of the 

 neighbourhood, it is shown that the fourth peat indicates a sub- 

 sidence of not less than 55 feet. 



The sea encroached upon the area in consequence of this sub- 

 sidence. It entered by the lowest of three low cols in the southern 

 water-parting of the Cadoxton river, thus isolating the portion of 

 land now known as Barry Island. A slight further movement 

 would have converted the water-parting into a chain of islands. 



2. ' On a Phosphatic Chalk with Holaster planus at Lewes/ By 

 A. Strahan, Esq., M.A., F.G.S. With an Appendix on the Ostracoda 

 and Foraminifera by F. Chapman, Esq., F.R.M.S. 



This rock, which occurs at the base of the Upper Chalk, at the 



