58 



some fine illustrations of the erosion of coast scenery by the sea 

 were pointed out. The excursion terminated at the Zig-zag, 

 whence members dispersed for tea and the return boats for Bourne- 

 mouth. 



The second of the combined excursions in connec- 



A^mEa" tion with the recent aU ' E - Lecture Course and 



m ay * the Geological Section of the Society was con- 

 ducted by Dr. Ord on Saturday, June 17th, to Alum Bay. The 

 threatening weather, and dread of a rough passage to the Island, 

 deterred many from joining this excursion, which nevertheless proved 

 most enjoyable and the weather perfect. Arriving by the s.s. Majestic 

 at Alum Bay at 11.30, the party walked to the south-westerly corner 

 of the bay, where the junction of the Chalk and Tertiary strata is 

 so well seen. The Chairman then gave an account of the geological 

 features of the cliffs, beneath which the party were seated. It 

 needed no geologist to distinguish the three great series of strata 

 within sight : first, the lofty chalk cliffs, the beds of which were 

 tilted up at a high angle ; next, the many coloured Tertiary beds, 

 comprising the Woolwich and Reading, lying on an eroded surface 

 of the Upper Chalk, also London clay, containing septarian 

 nodules with a few shells, but otherwise unfossiliferous in this 

 district ; then the Bagshot series, followed by the Barton clay. 

 The third division commenced at the pier and formed the grassy 

 slopes of Headon Hill ; they were the Oligocene beds, peculiar to 

 the Island and the adjacent Hampshire coast. These beds were 

 unknown to exist in any other part of England until, a few years 

 ago, the late Mr. Huddleston discovered that the well known hill, 

 Creech Barrow, near Wareham, was chiefly built up of Oligocene 

 strata. This showed that these beds had originally a more 

 extensive range than geologists had supposed, but they had since 

 been removed by denudation. After a picnic lunch, the various 

 rocks in succession were examined. Fragments of leaves were 

 found in the Bagshot beds corresponding to the Bournemouth leaf 

 beds, masses of iron-stone of the same horizon as those of Hengist- 

 bury Head, and the celebrated Nummulites bed of the Barton 

 clay. Little time now remained for study of the Oligocene, but 

 Headon Hill was climbed, and the Plateau gravel capping its 

 summit, Bembridge limestone, and the Osborn beds were observed, 

 after which the party returned by steamer to Bournemouth. 



» f° urtn excursion of the Geological Section 



H d d th S took P lace on J ul y I2th > under Dr - ° rd ' s guidance, 

 DorserCoast; 6 some twenty-six members attending. Taking 

 a ' train to Corfe Castle, members drove first to 

 Blashenwell, where the interesting tufa deposit was examined, with 

 its neolithic interments and traces of human occupation found in 

 what was once the bed of a prehistoric lake, in which the deposit of 

 lime had taken place. The curious miniature caves, lined by 

 stalagmite, caused by water percolating through and dissolving the 



