142 On the Existence of Glaciers and Icebergs in Scotland, 



of a terrace sometimes ten yards in breadth, sometimes a 

 hundred, sloping upwards gently as it recedes from the sea, 

 and terminated by a steep acclivity on the inland side. One 

 of the best examples of it may be seen on the east coast of 

 the bay, near Belmore, about a mile and a half from the vil- 

 lage of Garelochhead, but there are many others. 



s The sea at low water. 



b The present beach, which at many parts rises one foot 

 in ten, and is covered with large boulders. 



b2 The ancient beach, composed of gravel or stratified 

 sand, and with a few boulders resting on it. 



u A steep acclivity behind the beach, forming the ancient 

 sea-clifi: 



b 3 Traces of a second terrace are found at some parts, 

 and even of a third and fourth, ascending to the height of 

 140 feet, but they are too faint to be relied on. 



The point w, to which we may assume the high-tide for- 

 merly reached, I found to be at Belmore, about thirty-two 

 feet above the present high-water line. The ancient beach 

 resembles the present in its form, and, like it, exhibits 

 boulders. 



As the sand and gravel composing the beach were de- 

 posited after the striae were formed on the rocks, we may in- 

 fer that, when the glacier occupied the valley of Gare Loch, 

 the sea stood higher than it does now by at least thirty feet, 

 and probably a great deal more. For an account of the form 

 and motions of glaciers terminating in the sea, I refer to Dr 

 Martin's paper in Professor Jameson's Journal for January 

 and April 1841. 



Striated rocks, ridges of gravel having the character of 

 moraines, and other phenomena indicating the former exist- 

 ence of glaciers in the North of Scotland, were described by 

 Dr Buckland in a paper read to the Geological Society of 

 London in November 1840. Mr Lyell also discovered traces 

 of glaciers in Forfarshire, and communicated the result of 

 his observations to the same society in 1841.* 



* Dr John Davy described to me similar appearances he had seen and 

 examined in Cumberland.— jBc^i/J. 



