175 



GEOLOGY. 



THE BLASHENWELL DEPOSIT. 

 [ Read at Smedmore, November 9th, 1857. ] 



I am reluctantly obliged to make the following remarks upon 

 the Blashenwell Deposit, in consequence of Mr. Austen's reply to 

 a Paper I read upon the subject to the Society last year. 



Mr. Austen inadvertently states at page 126 in the Society's 

 publication of last year, "the problem which has to be solved 

 is, the presence of marine shells. Mr. Mansel endeavours to-do 

 this through an argument which maintains the probability of the 

 occurrence of frequent changes of level; such depressions and 

 upheavals of the district as to admit and throw back, alternately, 

 the estuary waters of Poole harbour, through the gorge at 

 Corfe." Also at page 125, "after heavy rains, much surface 

 water would flow into the stream, bringing land shells from the 

 hills, and conveying them down its course." 



My remarks upon this part of the subject are the following: 

 "That the district under review has been upheaved since the 

 formation of the bed is probable, from the occurrence of a bed of 

 cockles, periwinkles, and oysters, (C. e., L. 1., and O. e.,) in 

 the church yard at Arne, about thirty feet above the level of the 

 sea. Previous to this upheaval the surrounding country might 

 have been subject to transitory inroads of the sea, by which 

 means the marine shells would gain access into the lake." By 



