rtEYIEWS. 



319 



the West Mere, five or six acres in extent, was drained of the waters in 

 185 L, by the proprietor, Mr. Eirch, ofWretham Hall. 



In this mere tliere was ordinarily about four feet of water, and beneath 

 it about eight feet of soft black mud, partly held in suspension, and requir- 

 ing to be removed in scoops. "When this mud was being cleared out, a 

 great number of bones were discovered, chiefly deposited, as from its semi- 

 liquid nature might have been expected, at the bottom. They were nearly 

 all those of the red deer {Cervus elaphus), and of the now extinct long-faced 

 ox {Bos longifrons). 



Near the centre of the mere, lying below the black mud, was found a 

 ring, or circular bank, of fine white earth, outside of which, the bottom of 

 the mere was so soft and deep as to be impassable. This ring, or bank, was 

 about twenty or thirty feet across, a foot wide, and about four feet in 

 height, and near its inner circumference a deep hole, or well, was marked 

 out by a circle of stout stakes. There was also, near by, the remains of a 

 flint wall and traces of a rude ladder. 



The deer's antlers and other bones had many of them cut-marks of rude 

 tools. Many flint-disks, seemingly resembling what the Danish antiqua- 

 ries call sling-stones, are said to have been found in this and other meres, 

 but none of them have been preserved. 



A few years later, 1856, the largest of these meres, having an area of 

 forty-eight acres, was emptied and cleaned out, and during the operation 

 was visited by Sir Charles Bunbury, who has recorded his observations in 

 the Geological Society's Journal (vol. xii.). Sir Charles incidentally states 

 the presence of numerous posts of oak-wood, shaped and pointed by hu- 

 man art, standing erect in the mud. 



M. Troyon, in his ' Habitations Lacustres,' recognizes the similarity of 

 these Norfolk antiquities to the Pile-buildings of his own country. 



These few remarks are sufficient to show the interest this pamphlet 

 possesses. 



Proceedings of G-eologists' Association, No. 8. 



This is a thick part of some eighty pages, got up in better manner and 

 under better editorship than any number we have yet seen. It contains 

 moreover some good papers, while the additional lists of new members 

 show that the Association is making headway. 



We wish it well. We have always done so ; and if we have sometimes 

 sounded a note of warning or condemnation, there has been no more ma- 

 lice or ill will in it than in the paternal advice of a father to his son. It 

 was through this journal the Association had birth, and it is not likely 

 therefore but that we should ever feel the liveliest interest in it. We do 

 not think, however, it has yet settled down to its proper work. From its 

 geographical locality, and Ijy its inherent construction, it is destined sooner 

 or later to become the Metropolitan Field Club. The district round Lon- 

 don is a wide and uncultivated field. Strange as tins statement may seem 

 yet it is true, and it will be far better for the Geologists' Association to 

 organize themselves for this work than to be merely content with simple 

 day's pleasurings in some far-distant towns. No doubt a great deal of good 

 is to be got from looking at the blue flat shore of gault at Folkestone, or 

 pickins: up hamper-loads of phosphate-nodules at Cambridge, and a trip to 

 the Malverns would be an admirable occasion for a dehghtful picnic ; 

 but no good work is done for our science by these desultory excursions. 

 Let the Association, however, take the Ordnance maps, and construct a 

 geological map of the London area ; let them make "sections across the 

 London Basin from east to west, from north to south ; let thera take the 



