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Ordinary meeting, June 4th, 1875
EXCURSION TO CHARNWOOD FOREST.
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where, under the guidance of Mr. Edmunds, a minute inspection of the Mount-sorrel Granite Company's extensive operations was carried out. Luncheon was here very generously provided. The company then made a tour of inspection of the hill, where the remarkable Glacial action, the most perfect of its kind in England, was pointed out. A brisk discussion took place as to the origin of the Drift found at the side of the hill. The fact of Liassic and Oolitic fossils being common in it, is conclusive against its being a true moraine, though it partakes more or less of a moraine character. A trap dyke on the flank of the hill, about six inches in width, and extending for several hundred yards, and composed of pure felsite, was next noticed. The Members carried off specimens of this intrusive igneous rock. Simpson's Quarry was then visited. This place has a historic interest, it being that visited by Professor Airy (Astronomer Royal), the late Professor Whewell, and Professor Sedgwick. These found a trap dyke of greenstone in 1834, but as the quarry has been worked, that has probably become obliterated, no trace of it being now visible. The gneissic rocks were next visited, after which the company returned to Sileby Station, whence most of them proceeded to London. Thanks are due both to Messrs. Ellis and Son and the Mount-sorrel Granite Oompany, for their kindness in permitting so thorough an inspection of their works. The arrangements for the various excursions were, on the whole, weU carried ont; and the Members doubtless returned to their various homes with the pleasant thought that they had derived both pleasure and profit from their visit to ancient Charnwood. ORDINARY MEETING, JUNE 4TH, 1875. ,WILLIAM CARRUTHERS, Esq., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. The following Donations were announced:" Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society," Vol xxxi., 2; from that Society. "Abstract of Proceedings of the Geological Society;" that Society. "Journal of the Society of Arts," May, 1875; from Society. "Journal of the Quekett Microscopical Club;" from Olub.
Part from tLat that
318
W.
CARRUTHERS ON THE FLORA
"Proceedings of the South Wales Institute of Engineers," VoL ix., Parts 1 and 2; from that Institute. " Les Reptiles du Terrain Oretace du N.E. du bassin de Paris," par M. Chas. Barrois; from the Author. L' AacMnien et la limite entre Ie Jurassique et le Oretace dans I' Aisne et les Ardennes." "Ondnlations de la Craie dans le Sud de l'Angleterre," par M. Chas. Barrois; from the Author. "Om Skuringsmrerker Glacialformationen Terrasser og Strandlinier," by Prof. Theodor Kjerulf. " Jrettegryder og Gamle Strandlinier i fast Klippe;" by S. A. Sexe. The following were elected Members of the Association:Thomas Belt, Esq., F.G.S. ; John Dallas, Esq.; Musgrave Heaphy, Esq.; Arthur Buck Kitchener, Esq. j Major John W. Woodall, M.A., F.G.S. The following Papers were read : i.-ON THE FLORA' OF THE LONDON OLAY OF SHEPPEY. By WILLIAM OARRUTHERS, Esq., F.R.S., President of the Geologists' Association. The Flora at present in existence on the earth dates, to a certain extent, from Upper Oretaceous times, as far as our present information goes; and on the Continent, remains of dicotyledonous plants occur in the Lower Eocene of which the London Olay of Sheppey is an important member. Up to this time-that is to say, previous to the commencement of the Tertiary poriod-sthe Flora of the British area consisted of vascular cryptogams, and of gymnosperms, associated together. Suddenly, however, we have on the geological horizon, here represented by the London Clay, a great display of dicotyledons known by their fruits, which have been preserved in great numbers, whereby many genera have been determined, in a great measure, from specimens obtained in the Isle of Sheppey. These fruits are not in this district accompanied by foliage, which, being of a more destructible character, would naturally decay in the passage down the river, which is supposed to have borne the less destructible nuts and other fruits from considerable distances. It has generally been considered that as
317
where, under the guidance of Mr. Edmunds, a minute inspection of the Mount-sorrel Granite Company's extensive operations was carried out. Luncheon was here very generously provided. The company then made a tour of inspection of the hill, where the remarkable Glacial action, the most perfect of its kind in England, was pointed out. A brisk discussion took place as to the origin of the Drift found at the side of the hill. The fact of Liassic and Oolitic fossils being common in it, is conclusive against its being a true moraine, though it partakes more or less of a moraine character. A trap dyke on the flank of the hill, about six inches in width, and extending for several hundred yards, and composed of pure felsite, was next noticed. The Members carried off specimens of this intrusive igneous rock. Simpson's Quarry was then visited. This place has a historic interest, it being that visited by Professor Airy (Astronomer Royal), the late Professor Whewell, and Professor Sedgwick. These found a trap dyke of greenstone in 1834, but as the quarry has been worked, that has probably become obliterated, no trace of it being now visible. The gneissic rocks were next visited, after which the company returned to Sileby Station, whence most of them proceeded to London. Thanks are due both to Messrs. Ellis and Son and the Mount-sorrel Granite Oompany, for their kindness in permitting so thorough an inspection of their works. The arrangements for the various excursions were, on the whole, weU carried ont; and the Members doubtless returned to their various homes with the pleasant thought that they had derived both pleasure and profit from their visit to ancient Charnwood. ORDINARY MEETING, JUNE 4TH, 1875. ,WILLIAM CARRUTHERS, Esq., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. The following Donations were announced:" Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society," Vol xxxi., 2; from that Society. "Abstract of Proceedings of the Geological Society;" that Society. "Journal of the Society of Arts," May, 1875; from Society. "Journal of the Quekett Microscopical Club;" from Olub.
Part from tLat that
318
W.
CARRUTHERS ON THE FLORA
"Proceedings of the South Wales Institute of Engineers," VoL ix., Parts 1 and 2; from that Institute. " Les Reptiles du Terrain Oretace du N.E. du bassin de Paris," par M. Chas. Barrois; from the Author. L' AacMnien et la limite entre Ie Jurassique et le Oretace dans I' Aisne et les Ardennes." "Ondnlations de la Craie dans le Sud de l'Angleterre," par M. Chas. Barrois; from the Author. "Om Skuringsmrerker Glacialformationen Terrasser og Strandlinier," by Prof. Theodor Kjerulf. " Jrettegryder og Gamle Strandlinier i fast Klippe;" by S. A. Sexe. The following were elected Members of the Association:Thomas Belt, Esq., F.G.S. ; John Dallas, Esq.; Musgrave Heaphy, Esq.; Arthur Buck Kitchener, Esq. j Major John W. Woodall, M.A., F.G.S. The following Papers were read : i.-ON THE FLORA' OF THE LONDON OLAY OF SHEPPEY. By WILLIAM OARRUTHERS, Esq., F.R.S., President of the Geologists' Association. The Flora at present in existence on the earth dates, to a certain extent, from Upper Oretaceous times, as far as our present information goes; and on the Continent, remains of dicotyledonous plants occur in the Lower Eocene of which the London Olay of Sheppey is an important member. Up to this time-that is to say, previous to the commencement of the Tertiary poriod-sthe Flora of the British area consisted of vascular cryptogams, and of gymnosperms, associated together. Suddenly, however, we have on the geological horizon, here represented by the London Clay, a great display of dicotyledons known by their fruits, which have been preserved in great numbers, whereby many genera have been determined, in a great measure, from specimens obtained in the Isle of Sheppey. These fruits are not in this district accompanied by foliage, which, being of a more destructible character, would naturally decay in the passage down the river, which is supposed to have borne the less destructible nuts and other fruits from considerable distances. It has generally been considered that as