We cannot do better than take as an illustration of the mode of occurrence and levels of the submerged land-surfaces the section seen in the excavation of Tilbury Docks, for this was most carefully noted by the engineers, and was visited by two competent observers, Messrs. W. Whitaker and F. C. J. Spurrell. This excavation is of great scientific importance, for it led to the discovery of a human skeleton beneath three distinct layers of submerged peat, and these remains have been most carefully studied by Owen and Huxley, and more recently by Professor Keith. The section communicated to Sir Richard Owen by Mr Donald Baynes, the engineer superintending the excavation at the time of the discovery, is shown in the diagram on p. 14. As Mr Baynes himself saw part of the skeleton in the deposit, his measured section is most important as showing its exact relation to the submerged forests. It is also well supplemented by the careful study of the different [Illustration: ———————————————————————————————————————Trinity High Water Level Water 6’·77 +————+————————————————————————————+— Marsh Level | | | ^ | 1 | Clay 6’·04 | | | | | | |————+————————————————————————————+ | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Mud 10’·76 | | | | | | | | | | |————+————————————————————————————+ | | 3 | Mud and Peat 1’·70 | | |————+————————————————————————————+ | | 4 | Peat 1’·08 | | |————+————————————————————————————+ | | | | | | 5 | Mud 3’·88 | | } 34’·54 | | | | |————+————————————————————————————+ | | 6 | Peat 3’·58 | | |————+————————————————————————————+ | | 7 | Mud 1’·76 | | |————+————————————————————————————+ | | | | | | 8 | Mud and Peat 3’·24 | | | | | | |————+————————————————————————————+ | | 9 | Sand & Decomposed Wood ·62 | | |- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -|-v Level at which human | | | remains were found | | | | | | | 9*| Sand 12’·47 | | | | | | | | | | |————+————————————————————————————+ | | | | | | | 10 | Ballast Gravel | | | | Fig. 2. Section at Tilbury Docks.] layers made by Mr Spurrell, for though his specimens did not come from exactly this part of the docks, the various beds are traceable over so large an area that there is no doubt as to their continuity.