304 
EEPORTS OF THE PEOCEEDmGS OF GEOLOGICAL 
HOCIETIES. 
PliOCEEDIXOS OF THE GeOIOGICAL SOCIETY OE LONDON. — May 26, 1858. — 1. 
" On the Pleistocene Sea-ted of the Sussex Coast, being the Western Extension of 
the Eaised Sea-beach of Brighton." By J. Prestwich, Esq., F R.S., F.G.S. 
The author first observed that the well-known raised beach at Brighton, described 
by Dr. Mantell, has been since extended by Sir R. Murchison to Hove, and by 
Mr. Dixon to Lancing and Broadwater near Worthing ; and that Mr. Godwin- 
Austen has described some marine beds, which he ascrilies to the same age, on the 
caast between Bognor andBrackleshani. He then proceeded to state the results of 
his examination of the counti-y between Brighton and Havant. Traces of this 
old sea-beach are, in Mr. Prestwich's opinion, to be seen on the slightly raised 
ground at the base of the chalk-hills east of Arundel, at a distance of three or 
four miles from the sea. It is much more distinct westward of Arundel, and can 
be followed to near Chichester. In a wood at a short distance north of the road 
from Arundel to Chichester, and about two miles from the former, these beach- 
deposits appear as a bed of sand about seven feet thick, with thin patches of 
shingle, and overlaid by subaugular flint-gravel. On the brow of Avisford Hill 
the same bed of sand is seen to overlie the mottled clays ; and in a sand-pit in the 
wood east of Slindon Common, similar pebbly sand, at least 16 feet thick, is seen 
to be overlaid by partially rounded tiint-shingle, about three feet thick, and both 
to be covered by ferruginous sandy clay full of large angular flints, which occupies 
also a furrow excavated through the shingle into the sand. A mass of brick-earth, 
10 feet by 8, forms a core to the ferruginous clay in the furrow. It is to be 
remarked that the sand-bed is here about 100 feet above the sea-level ; and also 
that it is intersected by a deep dell. The angular flint gravel, underlaid by the 
sand, stretches across Slindon Common, occurs at Broxgrove Common, and at 
intervals towards Goodwood-. At \\^aterbeach, adjoining Goodwood, a sand-pit 
shows, in descending order, 1. ferruginous clay, full of angular flints, two to six 
feet ; 2. chalk-rul)ble, about nine feet thick, containing small angxilar flints, and 
with a furrowed surface; 3. fine ash-coloured sand, slightly micaceous, with thin 
.seams of concretionary sandstone, some few boulders of chalk, and friable shells. 
The shingle-bed, seen at Avisford, is here replaced by chalk -rubble, like that 
overlying the old beach at Brighton ; but no shells nor bones were found. Shells 
of the common Mtjtilus and the edible Cardhnn arc found in the sand, but they are 
usually very friable ; and in the holes made by I'holades on the large lumps of hard 
white chalk occurring in this sand, specimens of Purpura lapillus occur, whilst 
small Balani are attached to the surface of these chalk-boulders. A specimen of 
Echinocyaimis pusillus was also met with. This sand deposit, which the author 
believes to be identical with the old Brighton beach, he traces also westward of 
Goodwood to near Lavant and ])robably to Bovirne Common. 
2. " On the Sedimentary and other External Relations of the Palaiozoic Fossils 
of the state of New York!" By J. J. Bigsby, M.D., F.G.S. 
The object sproposed in this inquiry were — to give more ])recision to facts as yet 
imperfectly ascei'tained, to discover new materials for the history of these earliest 
times, and to treat of new points of connection between the Pahcozoic Basins of New 
York and Wales. The first part of this memoir commenced witli a few observations 
on the agencies by which the pakeozoic sediments or sea-bottoms were laid 
down, namely, 1st the constant and superficial, or Neptunian, and 2nd the modify- 
ing or occasional and subterranean (Plutonic) ; and then proceeded to describe their 
mineral character. In the second part, the distribution and inmiediate rclatiore 
of j)al;cozoic animal life in the state of New York were considered ; and in the third 
part the recurrence or vertical range of fossils was treated of in detail. Lastly 
the results arrived at by the author were given as reflections presenting themselves 
on a survey of the ancient and vastly ])rolonged processes that laid down tlie 
jjalffiozoic strata of New York. The unity of design and predetermination of the 
complete idea manifest in th.ese geological pha?nomena, — the evidences of direct 
