Notes on the Fenland; with A Description of the Shippea Man

A geological and palaeontological survey of a low-lying fen district explains its origin as a drowned basin formed by glacial, marine, estuarine, fluvial and subaerial deposits and intermittent subsidence; it classifies fen deposits (turbiferous and areniferous series), describes peat types, marl and alluvial sections, and examines local shell beds and clays. The work discusses fossil remains including birds and human bones, assesses the age of the fen beds, and presents an anatomical description of a human skull recovered at Shippea Hill, noting its pronounced brow, cranial measurements and associated long-bone fragments. Practical observations on peat formation, bog-wood and palaeontological methods are also included.