A Scheme for the Examination of the Glacial Deposits of the Midland Counties of England.
By Wm. Jerome Harrison, F.G.S.
Curator of the Town Museum, Leicester.
One of the great advantages which it was hoped would result from the formation of the Midland Union of Scientific Societies, was the opportunity which it would offer to distant workers to become acquainted with one another, with a view to combined work upon the many scientific problems which our district offers to us for solution.
At the Annual Meeting of the Union, at Birmingham, on May 28th, I ventured to suggest the Glacial Deposits of the Midlands as a subject peculiarly fitted for our joint efforts, and as this idea was favourably received both at the time and since, I now venture to offer a few suggestions as to the way in which we should begin work.
I.—Template:The Workers.—No Society can plead an absence of material on which to work, The stratified rocks which constitute what we term the solid geology of our country run in tolerably definite bunts, but the glacial drift is scattered irregularly all over the face of the country, and is with us everywhere. Each Society then should appoint one of its members who should act as secretary or record keeper for the particular study we propose to attempt. The other members who are willing to aid actively in the task should give in their names to him, and he should summon meetings of such members at frequent intervals.
A chief duty of the record secretary would be to keep a large observation book, in which to enter all notes and discoveries. If this book contained plenty of guards such members as preferred it might write out the results of their own work, which could then be pasted in the book.
As it would be absolutely necessary to gain personal experience, it would probably be easy to arrange for joint meetings of all who take an active interest in this work in the various districts in them. The typical deposits of the east and west coasts and of Scotland would also be visited and examined.
II.—The Work.—In the first place it would be necessary for each worker, or at all events each Society, to obtain the Ordnance Maps, both plain and geologically coloured, of their neighbourhood.
Upon the plain maps they should distinguish by dots and numbers the precise position of every gravel pit, brick pit, &c., where the surface deposits are well exposed, Lach at these sections should then he visited. in turn and carefully examined. Each should be measured, and a plan and section—no matter how rough, if fairly accurate—drawn to scale; if a water-colour sketch could be made of the principal face so much the better. In as many cases as possible an idea of the height of each point above the sea level should be obtained either by aneroid, levelling, or
