THE  PLATEATJ-GRAVEL  SOUTH  OF  READING. 
324 
[Aug.  1893, 
they  showed  signs  of  man’s  handiwork  as  unmistakable  as  those  of 
generally  accepted  Palaeolithic  implements. 
Mr.  Herries  reminded  Mr.  Monckton  of  Prof.  Prestwich’s  theory 
of  the  gradual  rising  of  the  land  towards  the  west  after  the  depo¬ 
sition  of  the  Westleton  Shingle,  which  obviated  the  necessity  of 
supposing  that  the  Thames  flowed  at  the  present  elevation  of  the 
Glacial  Gravels,  at  the  time  when  those  gravels  were  deposited.  He 
expressed  surprise  at  Mr.  Shrubsole’s  discovery  of  quartzites  in  the 
Southern  Drift,  but  did  not  quite  understand  what,  if  any,  inference 
the  Author  drew  from  their  presence.  He  confessed  himself  very 
sceptical  about  the  so-called  ‘  implements  ’  from  the  Southern  Drift. 
Mr.  Monckton  thought  the  facts  detailed  by  Mr.  Shrubsole  were 
consistent  with  the  views  expressed  in  his  own  paper.  The  relative 
age  of  the  various  drifts  shown  in  the  diagrams  was  probably  as 
follows,  beginning  with  the  most  ancient : — (1)  Southern  Drift  of 
Burghfield  Common,  Easthampstead  Plain,  and  the  hills  above 
Betcham.  (2)  Brentwood  Shingle.  (3)  Glacial  Drift.  (4)  Various 
Valley  Gravels,  the  highest  Thames  Gravels  being  probably  contem¬ 
poraneous  with  the  Glacial  Gravel. 
In  reply  to  the  President,  he  said  that  he  had  not  claimed  as  glacial 
any  gravel  described  by  Prof.  Prestwich  as  Southern  Drift. 
Mr.  Shrubsole  stated,  in  reply  to  Mr.  Herries,  that  most  of  the 
specimens  of  vein-quartz  exhibited  had  been  found  by  himself. 
