Age of Plateaus around Torquay. 653 



to the percolation and evaporation of ground-water, are described 

 and compared with the ' Botletle-Schichten ' (Passarge) of the 

 Kalahari, but the author considers that the antiquity of these beds 

 is not so great as that assigned to the ' Botletle-Schichten.' 



The paper concludes with a petrographical appendix by Mr. H. 

 H. Thomas, giving the results of his microscopic examination of a 

 series of rock-specimens collected by the author. 



February 6th. — J. E. Marr, Sc.D., F.R.S., Vice-President, 

 in the Chair. 

 The following communications were read : — 



1. ' Note on the Cervical Vertebra of Zeuglodon from the Barton 

 Clay of Barton Cliff (Hampshire).* By Charles William Andrews, 

 B.A., D.Sc, F.R.S., F.G.S. 



2. ' The Origin and Age of the Plateaus around Torquay.' By 

 Alfred John Jukes-Browne, B.A., F.G.S. 



The existence of high-level plains or plateaus near Torquay has 

 long been known, but since Pengelly's time little attention seems to 

 have been paid to them. Pengelly believed that there were several 

 such plains at different levels, and thought that the time of their 

 production was not very remote. On examination, however, 

 his evidence breaks down, and the euthor regards the plateaus 

 as portions of one inclined plain. 



The plateau-area has an extent of about 3 miles in length from 

 north to south, and about 2 in width. Its highest level is found at 

 the foot of the ridge which forms the watershed between Torbay 

 and the estuary of the Teigu. From the foot of this a platform 

 stretches southward ou each side of Barton at a level of from 350 to 

 340 feet ; south of this is the flat summit of Lummaton Hill (also 

 about 340 feet) ; and about a mile farther south are the flat-topped 

 hills known as Yaddon and Daison Hills, both about 320 feet, and 

 only separated by a narrow gorge cut by the little stream which 

 flows from Barton to Torquay. 



East of these hills we find a plateau-area extending continuously 

 through St. Marychurch and Babbacombe, for a distance of a mile 

 and a half, and an average width of half a mile, but cut off abruptly 

 along the coast-line. The northern- end of this plateau is about 

 330 feet above Ordnance-datum, but it slopes gradually southward, 

 till on Walls Hill its highest part is only 267 feet. 



On the west of Torquay the old plain has been so dissected by 

 streams, and so lowered by detritive agencies, that it is almost 

 destroyed. Remnants, however, remain in Waldon Hill (200 feet), 

 Stentiford Hill (230 feet), and Daddy-Hole Plain (about 200 feet). 



The central hills of Torquay, which are known as Warberry Hill 

 and Lincombe Hill, rise to much greater heights (440 and 400 feet) 

 and stand up as conspicuous eminences above the level of the 

 surrounding plateau. 



The evidence as to the age of the planation is next considered. 

 It is proved to be post-Permian, by the fact that Permian breccia 

 forms part of the plateau-surface at St. Marychurch. It is also 

 probably post-Cretaceous, because Cretaceous planation is not likely 



