GEOLOGY, 



THE EAEN VALLEY. 



By F. SMITH. 

 (Concluded from page 26g.) 



THE beds were next examined where they form a cliff across 

 the north end of " Moncreiffe Pocket" (P). Here the 

 peat bands vary in thickness, sometimes thinning out, at other 

 times developing to 1 2 inches of compact peat. Nor are the 

 clay and marl bands always so marked. In some places the 

 clay is more dominant than in others. The sand and gravel 

 beds also vary in thickness from 5 to 8 feet, with sometimes 

 larger pebbles at bottom. The bed of red and blue clay is not 

 so fully developed here as where first examined, i.e., it is not of 

 so great a height above the river level. Where this clay band 

 deposit is exposed to the drying effects of the atmosphere it 

 exhibits a beautifully laminated structure, ten laminae being 

 counted to the inch. The laminae are somewhat contorted, 

 as shown in Plate IV., D. One might almost believe that the 

 gravel-bed above was contorted too, but the somewhat acute 

 angles exhibited in the deposition indicate an origin in irregu- 

 larly running water. A square foot, marked out by my stick, is 

 also sketched in Plate IV., G The peat band is situated 

 within 5 feet of the top of the bank, and superimposed upon a 

 bed of clay that overlies the gravel zone. The whole bed, how- 

 ever, above the gravel, is here filled with vegetable remains, 

 principally of a reed that, I believe, from certain indications, 

 grew upon the spot. I also procured several indeterminate 

 pieces of wood, with a piece of bark of Pinus sylvestris ; also 

 several portions of the underground parts of the common marsh 

 plant Equisetum. These are not generally the portions of a 

 plant likely to be drifted. Also, immediately above the gravel, 

 several dicotylodcnous tree leaves and hazel-nuts. 



