COAL UNDER SOUTH-EASTERN ENGLAND. 253
Natural History Societies," sent some written remarks, as he was unable to be
present, which were read by Prof. Boulger.
Considerable discussion on the subject was carried on by the Chairman, Mr.
Chalkley Gould, Mr. T. Hay Wilson, Mr. Vaughan, Mr. Sheldon, Prof. Boulger, and
Mr. W. Cole. Prof. Boulger's paper, with some remarks upon the same, will be pub-
lished in the next volume of The Essex Naturalist. The reason for bringing
the question of Federation forward was the receipt of a request from the President
(Prof. Meldola, F.R.S.), and Secretary (Mr. T. V. Holmes, F.G.S.), of the
Corresponding Societies Committee of the British Association, that the views o
the E.F.C. on the matter should be sent to the Committee not later than
December 20th.
Mr. J. French contributed a paper "On the Diffusion and Local Extinction
of Molluscs," which was read by the Secretary, and on which some remarks
were made by Mr. Holmes, having reference to Mr. French's statements con-
cerning the Chalky Boulder Clay. The paper will be printed in the next
volume.
A most welcome buffet service of tea, coffee, etc., was provided in anticipation
of a much larger company, but members had ample excuse for not venturing
into the wilds of the Forest on such a night.
COAL UNDER SOUTH-EASTERN ENGLAND.
BORING IN SEARCH OF COAL AT WEELEY, IN ESSEX.
IN continuation of our notes on the search for coal in East Anglia
given in volume viii. and at pp. 213-218 of the present volume,
we now present our readers with a preliminary account of the results
of the boring at Weeley, announced in the previous article as having
been commenced (ante p. 218). A more detailed report will
probably be presented by the geological experts in February or
March next.
On December 17th last the Directors of the Eastern Counties
Coal Boring Association met at Weeley to inspect the results of the
boring. It was found that the bore had been carried to a depth of
1,178 feet, about 80 feet being in hard rock (? Lower or Pre-
Carboniferous) closely resembling that found at Stutton (ante pp.
214-215), examples of which are in the Essex Field Club's Museum.
A short piece of core was brought up at the visit, and was examined
by the geologists on the spot.
At the meeting of Directors Mr. George Calver Mason (in the
unavoidable absence through illness of Mr. R. C. Rapier, the
chairman) was voted to the chair, others present being Mr. J.
Paxman, Mr. Reuben Hunt, and Mr. T. R. Elkington, the secretary