112 
THE GEOLOGIST, 
thickness, and would more deserve tlie name of plastic clay. I have reason to 
believe, moreover, that this deposit is not always present ; as 1 have observed, 
onlv a slio-ht trace of it in a section that is exposed, of the Thauet sands at 
Wiuf^ham"^ where the section exhibited reaches to the chalk.— George Dowker, 
Stounnouth House, Wingham, Kent. 
Adhe-Uar's Theory. — In -'The Geologist" for January, there appears in the 
Notes and Queries," " An ' Early English' View of Adhemar's Theory." 
AUow me to call your attention to a work, of which I copy below the title page. 
" An Essay on "^the Physico- Astronomical causes of Changes on the Earth's 
Surface," by Sir Richard Phillips. With preface by Willm. Devonshire Saull, 
E.G.S., &c. Published by Sherwood, Gilbert, and Piper, 1832. A note shows 
it was "Eirst published in the Monthly Magazine, in 1812, and re-printed with 
other essays in 1821." The first publication, in 1812, was evidently the Maga- 
zme "article" from which your correspondent quotes. — C. K. 
Bones of the Dodo. — At a meeting of the Zoological Society, Dec. 11th, Mr. 
A. Newton noticed the discovery of some bones of the dodo in the jNlauritius. 
Geological Excursioxs to the Chaxnel Islands. — As comparatively 
little is known of the geology of these extremely interesting islands, a few word's 
on the subject, perhaps, may not be unacceptable to the readers of The 
Geologist." The tourist, embarking either at Southampton or Weymouth, 
will, on arriving at any one of the Channel Isles, be struck at once with the 
difference in the geological character of the rocks arou"j.d him to that of those 
he has but the day before left behind him ; and on closer examination he wiU 
perceive, instead of the low Tertiary cliffs of the Isle of Wight and its vicinity, 
or the oolitic crags of Portland, that he is surrounded by mica-schist, granite, 
and syenite, or other primary nou-fossiliferous rocks. No true organic remains 
there are within his reach, and during his stay in these islands he must content 
Mmself ^vith specimens of rocks and minerals. It is my intention therefore to 
bring before my readers, in a few geological excursions, the principal features 
of interest in these islands, hitherto abnost unexplored by the geologist. 
To begin with Jersey — the largest and most important of the group. After 
passing by the low sandy shore — where, by the bye an important and 
comparatively recent geological change has taken place, which wiU be here- 
after spoken of — and the tall granitic cliffs on the south-western side, which 
have been here and there excavated into caverns by the action of the sea, the 
traveller will arrive at the chief town, namely, St. Helier's, and on landing will 
see on his right hand a fortress, which is built on a lofty rock of syenite. The 
pier on which he will land is made of a beautiful pink or reddish-coloured 
granite, which is extensively quarried on the opposite side of the island, at a 
place called Mont Mado, where great ciystals are occasionally foimd in the 
granite quarries; but these are of rare occurrence. The granite here worked 
varies in colour in the different quarries ; some is of the reddish variety above- 
mentioned, some is grey, and some of a yellowish tint.* The first place worthy of 
notice to which I would introduce my readers is the north-western point of the 
low flat sandy bay before mentioned, W'here it was stated an important geological 
change appears to have taken place. Tradition asserts that in this bay of 
St. Ouen's there formerly was a large forest extending far out where the sea 
now is, and which a^es ago was buiied beneath its waves. But let us inquii'e 
into this statement : in the the first place, there are landowners who even to this 
day pay rent for land which their ancestors formerly possessed in this forest. 
At .low water, during spring tides, if search be made, stumps of oak trees can 
be found firmly imbedded in the sand ; these show, at any rate, that although 
* Due, I believe, to oxide of iron. There is only one narrow vein of this kind found in this 
island. 
