Geology of' Scandinavia. 301 



phenomena still more curious, is, that not only does it not take 

 place over the whole coast at the same yearly rate, but that 

 certain points, in place of a progressive elevation, experience 

 a gradual lowering of level, whilst others remain stationary. 



The points which exhibit these three different states are 

 all equally worthy the attention of observers, as the three 

 classes of observations would verify each other. When we see 

 that, on the same coast, certain points are sinking, whilst some 

 remain stationary, and others are gradually rising, we cannot 

 dread any error in the observations ; and these observations^ 

 whilst they prove that the crust of the earth is mobile — prove 

 also that it is sufficiently flexible to allow of points near each 

 other being moved in contrary ways. 



In order to explain the matter more clearly I shall mention 

 some local observations. 



Baron Hermelin, to whom we are indebted for a mineralogical 

 description and a map of Lapland, wrote in 1804,* that between 

 Seivits and Mikkala, and between the latter and the town of 

 Torneo, are two bays, whose depth diminishes from year to 

 year, and which, since some stone bridges were built across 

 them a few years ago, are almost completely dry. The French 

 academicians reached Torneo by sea, in 1736, and, in more 

 ancient times, large vessels could go so far as the town ; but in 

 the present they are obliged to remain at the southern extre- 

 mity of Bjorkor, on account of the small depth of water. 



8. Gradual sinking of the land in Scania. — It thus appears 

 that the phenomenon of progressive elevation, so well known on 

 the coasts of Sweden, from Calmar to Gefle, extends as far as 

 Torneo. But it does not take place in Scania : the coast of Sca- 

 nia, on the contrary, is gradually sinking. 



In 1749, Linna?us had measured the distance between the 

 sea and a rock near Trelleborg ; Professor Nilsson has found, 

 that this distance is at present 100 feet less than it was in the 

 time of Linnaeus. In a great number of the ports of Scania, 

 there are streets which are below the level of the high-water 

 mark of the Baltic ; some are even under the level of the low- 

 est tides. At Malmae, the sea sometimes covers one of the 



* Hermelin's Minerographie von Lappland und Westbothnieu, p. 136* 

 VOL. XXV. NO. L. — OCTOBER 1838. X 



