XIII. 
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 
Read at Watford, 11th May, 1886. 
Geology. 
Earthquake in the West of England felt at Hertford. —During the 
morning of January 20th, 1886, a gasalier was observed to be in 
slight hut continuously tremulous vibration. This was first noticed 
about 11 a.m., or a little earlier, and continued till it ceased to be 
observable towards the end of the afternoon. The occurrence was 
remarked on as a very peculiar and unusual one at the time. The 
next morning the following paragraph was observed in the 
‘Standard’ (January 21st):—“Another earthquake occurred in 
the West of England yesterday morning. At Bodmin the houses 
were so much shaken as to startle the inhabitants. At Mevagissey 
the phenomenon was characterised by a loud rumbling noise. In 
some of the houses the beams and flooring creaked like the straining 
of a ship in a rough sea. At St. Blazey the inhabitants were so 
shaken in bed that they arose in fright. Buildings swayed to and 
fro and tottered. The shock took place at half-past six, and lasted 
about six seconds.”— C. E. Shelly, B.A., M.B., Hertford. 
Section at the Well and Boring made at the Colne Valley Water 
Works, Watford, in 1885.—The well is sunk on a site about 190 feet 
above Ordnance datum, and the water rises to within 18 feet of the 
surface. The well is 6 feet in diameter and 43 feet deep. In 
the bottom is an 18-inch boring 657 feet deep, making a total 
depth of 700 feet. The well and boring are lined to a depth of 
108 feet above Ordnance datum. The following strata were passed 
through :— 
Made ground . 
FEET. 
5 
Soft chalk and flints 
86|- 
Hard chalk and flints . 
26 
Soft chalk and flints . 
17* 
Soft chalk with very few flints ... 
26 
Hard grey chalk rock 
8 
Soft chalk . . 
»i 
Very hard blue hind . 
6 
Hard chalk rock ... 
16 
Soft blue clay ... . 
1 
Hard chalk with thin layers of clay 
240| 
Blue clay. 
1 * 
Hard chalk 
4£ 
Soft chalk with thin beds of blue clay ... 
80 
H ard chalk and dark clay . 
50 
Chalk Marl and dark clay 
114 
Upper Greensand. 
5 
Gault . 
9 
700 
