The principal object of a paper which I read at the British Association was to point out the connection between an ancient river running on the Continent, in the direction of the Rhine, and the estuarine deposit of the Forest bed, on the eastern coast of this country. Many geologists have maintained that such a river ran from south to north, which would be in the direction of the Straits of Dover. In proof of the correctness of this supposition, I mentioned that numerous vertebræ of whales had been found in the estuary, which indicated an opening to the sea, and also arctic shells, which indicated a northerly direction; at the same time that the immigration of elephants and other animals proved the junction of this country with the Continent.