268
THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
local, and probably did not extend very far north, but it proved, nevertheless, the
existence of high land in what is now the lower Thames valley. He found that
as a matter of fact the Midlands was the source from whence the main supply
came, and endorsed in great part the findings of Professor Buckland.
But when this drift in ancient times, travelling along the Thames valley, had
reached what we now call Goring Gap an important modification occurred. It
there met with higher ground, in place of the present Thames valley, and was
deflected in a north-easterly direction, crossing Bucks, Herts, and the north of
Essex, and so on to the north-eastern part of Suffolk.
Now, the pebbles under discussion occurred about eight or ten miles to the
south of this drift stream, and about ths same distance to the north of the
present Thames valley, and so some further explanation is requisite.
This ancient north-easterly stream or drift belonged to a system of depres-
sions or elevations preceding, and quite unlike our present river systems, or at
any rate those pertaining to Herts or Essex. When in process of time and in
consequence of elevation, or some other cause, the genesis of our present river
system was brought about, the redistribution of this ancient drift was part of its
early work. In this way it was that the river Lea brought the pebbles and
laid them down in the bed from which they had just been removed.
Mr. French further remarked that he found these quartzites in much greater
quantity at Cheshunt than he had ever found them at Felstead or its neighbour-
hood, which seemed to be a further proof of a closer proximity to the source of
supply.
Mr. Dymond's Blue Book.—Mr. Christy referred to Mr. Dymond's Blue
Book on Rural Education and Nature Study, lying on the table, which he con-
sidered to be a very valuable contribution to a subject of great national
importance.
Flint Arrowheads from Wanstead.—Mr. Avery exhibited a supposed
Flint Arrowhead, stated to have been found in Wanstead Park. Some doubts
were cast upon the authenticity of this specimen. Mr. Avery promised to
bring up twelve other examples, stated to have accompanied this, to the next
meeting, so that they could be compared and examined.
Interesting Fish in the Stour and at West Mersea.—The President
exhibited, on behalf of Dr. Laver, F.L.S., (who had kindly sent them up for the
Club's Museum), two interesting fish.
The first was a Lampern (Petromyzon fluviatilis), taken in the Stour at
Dedham, in or about April, 1900. Dr. Laver wrote that the fish is not rare
there on migration, as is probably the case also in most of the other Essex rivers ;
but it is never fished for in any of them (as it was formerly in the Thames, for
use as bait in the North Sea cod-fisheries), so that it is seldom brought under
the notice of naturalists.
The other fish was a specimen of the Skipper (Scomberesox saurus), which was
dashed on to the shore by the waves at West Mersea on the 20th December,
1907, and was found by Mr. W. Mussett, who sent it at once to Dr.
Laver. That gentleman wrote that he had never before seen an Essex
specimen or even heard of the occurrence of one on the East Coast of
England. It was, he wrote, common in summer on the Cornish coasts, where its
habits of almost flying over the surface of the sea, as described by Day, has