The Second Day's Proceedings. 



139 



Evidences of the existence of the insects they fed on were plentiful. 

 In the little slab, a couple of inches square, he had in his hand, there 

 were the wing cases of thirty beetles. On another larger slab, 

 brought from a similar stratum in Germany, there was a complete im- 

 pression of a dragon-fly, so perfect that it might seem to have been 

 dropped in the stone but yesterday. [This specimen was handed round, 

 and was very much admired.] There were also traces of the vegetation 

 of the period. The bed was quite blackened in places with the 

 traces of fossil vegetation : and now and then seeds were to be 

 found. Some had the capsule attached. A specimen with the cap- 

 sule which he found at Swindon, was so perfect that a friend 

 of his almost refused to believe it was a fossil at all. To settle all 

 doubts as to its origin he went back to the quarry, and searched 

 again, thinking that possibly some recent seed might have lodged 

 on the edge of the bed. But no, he found other specimens in 

 positions they could not have reached except as part of the original 

 deposit. Among other organisms of great interest were the minute 

 bones of a species of batrachian, or frog ; the oldest of the true frog 

 species. The very oldest true frog that ever walked the earth was 

 an inhabitant of Swindon. So that it would appear that these 

 Purbeck beds were of considerable interest. He would not keep 

 them longer that night : but they must not think that the work of 

 the geologist was exhausted. In the fissure of a rock — not at 

 Swindon — in a space of not more than three square yards, no less 

 than one million remains of various living things had been found. 

 There was yet endless work for the geologist. 



Mr. Moore's paper was listened to with the greatest interest 

 throughout, and the thanks of the meeting were accorded him. As 

 the hour was already late, the assembly dispersed. We must not, 

 however, forget to add that by the liberality of the Committee, tea, 

 coffee, and other refreshments were provided during the evening. 



SECOND DAY, WEDNESDAY, Sept. 17th. 

 The excursion to Fairford occupied the whole of this day. The 

 members and their friends left Swindon about nine o'clock, and 

 the weather proving dry, a very pleasant day was spent. The 



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