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secretary's report, 1906. 
The General Meeting was held under the presidency of 
Mr. R. T. G. Abbott, F.S.I., of Malton. Mr. William Walker, 
H.M. Inspector of Mines, Doncaster, Avas elected a member. 
A letter was read from the Rev. E. Maule Cole, M.A., F.G.S., 
regretting his absence and consequent inability to give an address 
on the geology of the district, on account of sudden family 
bereavement. An address on " The Glacial and Physical Geology 
of the District " was then delivered by the Rev. W. Lower 
Carter, M.A., F.G.S., who commenced by outlining the solid 
geology of the area north and west of the Vale of Pickering, 
which consists of a series of beds of the Middle Oolites, dipping 
gently towards the central valley, and forming a series of tabular 
hills intersected by deep gorges, several of which are dry, owing 
to the swallowing of the streams by the underlying limestone. 
The Vale of Pickering itself is an interesting geological feature, 
being due to a trough of Kimeridge Clay (Upper Oolite) let down 
into the Middle and Lower Oolites by two parallel east and 
west faults, which also have determined the gap of Coxwold 
and Gilling. The denuding agencies early found out this belt 
of soft clay and commenced its excavation, which was probably 
closely connected with the interesting river diversions of the Rye 
and the Derwent. The lecturer pointed out that the present 
gorges of the Tees and the Swale at Rokeby and Richmond 
appeared to be of Glacial Age, the older direct valleys being 
obstructed by drift. The L^e, also, in glacial times, was diverted 
from its straight course eastwards and the valley to Bedale 
choked by large accumulations of drift, whilst the overflowing 
stream cut a new channel southwards by Masham to W^est 
Tanfield. This gorge is an interesting instance of a valley 
within a valley, the upper and wider portion representing, 
in all probability, the course of the glacial overflow stream, 
and the central narrower gorge being due to the cutting 
of the river since glacial times. The 'ecturer then described 
the changes in the course of these rivers since the close of 
the Chalk Period and outlined the probable stages in the 
evolution of the Ouse river- system. After a vigorous dis- 
cussion, a vote of thanks was passed to the Chairman, to 
the Secretary for his address, and to Messrs. Bowman, Slater, 
