1870.] Geology. 117 



Shelve, which is situated in western Shropshire. The lead mines were 

 worked in the Roman period, as shown by their coins, pottery, and 

 mining implements ; pigs of lead bearing on their stamp the name 

 of Hadrian have been found there. The remains of Homan en- 

 campments exist in the neighbourhood, as well as several Druidical 

 circles ; the largest of which, the Circle, or " Hoar stones," has still 

 thirty-two stones standing, and seems originally to have contained 

 thirty-six. 



Very red copper ore, " Kedruthite," has been found in the 

 neighbourhood, but workings have only lately been commenced. 

 The average direction of the greatest number of the veins is W.N.W. 

 by E.S.E. ; most of them are simply fissures in the rock (Lower 

 Silurian), which is prominently developed in this district, filled with 

 Barytes Calcite and irregular strings and nests of Galena and Blende, 

 interspersed with fragments of the slate-rock. The author observes, 

 " It is remarkable that in the Upper Llandeilo rocks the veins 

 principally contain Barytes ; the Lower Llandeilo rocks, lead ; and 

 the Cambrian rocks, copper." 



There are several interesting sections given, showing the distur- 

 bances caused in the Lingula flags, Llandeilo and Cambrian beds, 

 &c, by the eruptive intrusion of greenstone and other trap-rocks. 

 Lists of the fossils found in these formations and maps of the mineral 

 veins are also appended. 



The Breidden Hills,, about ten miles N.W. of Shelve, range to 

 the height of 1*200 feet above the sea-level, are surrounded by the 

 Llandeilo strata, and are interesting from the many varieties of 

 porphyrinic, and amygdaloidal greenstone, trap-breecia, and ash, of 

 which they are composed. 



The ' Geological Magazine ' for October, November, and Decem- 

 ber contains an abundant supply of interesting papers, only a few 

 of which we have space to notice. 



1 . A novel theory of the formation of the Chesil Bank is pro- 

 pounded by Messrs. H. W. Bristow and W. Whitaker. The ques- 

 tion they deal with is simply the cause of the position of the beach, 

 separated as it is from the mainland throughout its greater length 

 by a strip of water called " the Fleet." 



The authors are of opinion that this channel was formed sub- 

 sequently to the heaping up of the shingle, which they think was 

 originally formed against the land. East of Abbotsbury the ground 

 is comparatively low, and numerous streams run into the Fleet ; while 

 for some distance west of this village there are no streams, the 

 ground is much higher, with cliffs, and the beach is not separated 

 from the land. The conclusion arrived at is that after the beach 

 was formed against the land, these streams in flowing dowu towards 

 the sea would turn eastwards for some distance before filtering 

 through the shingle (as is the case with streams west of Burton 



