The Ancient Fauna of Essex. 5
Fig. 3.—Section in the Eastern Reservoir, and near the Em-
bankment between the Eastern and Western Reservoirs:—
The beds above the shell-marl, and in some parts of the
area those below it also, contained abundant remains of old
forest vegetation ; large areas of the upper loamy and peaty
beds, where exposed in the course of the works' by the
removal of the more superficial layers, exhibiting the ancient
remains of trees with their spreading roots still in situ, but
in most instances converted into lignite and coated with
bog-iron ore. Hazel-nuts were also abundant, and one could
easily detect evidences of the presence of the oak and the
alder. Other trees were probably present, and could no doubt
have been determined by a microscopic examination of their
wood. The peat, especially in Section No. 3, was exceedingly
stiff and compact.
The shell-bed on the Eastern and Northern sides of the
area exposed, exhibited many instances of oblique lamination,
indicative of currents and a winding river-course. Most of
the bivalve shells had their valves united, the Uniones
reposing in their natural position as in life; whilst the oper-
cula remained in the apertures of many of the Paludina,