Mr. Austin on the Shores of Waterford Haven. 319 



peat bed, raised but a few inches above the sea-level. On the eastern 

 side of Waterford Haven beds of similar shells occur at the same 

 level ; also in the cliff north of Bluff Head, at the height of eight 

 feet. The greatest elevation at which the shelly beds have been ob- 

 served by Mr. Austin in the county of Waterford, is forty feet. 



Immediately north of Newtown Head, at the point where a gradual 

 rise takes place in the cliff, the greater part of a human skeleton was 

 found resting on its back, five feet three inches below the surface, 

 and about the same distance above high-water level, in the centre 

 of the shelly bed. The Cardium edule was as numerous in and around 

 the skeleton as in other portions of the bed, many of them being 

 lodged in the cavity of the skull. Mr. Austin carefully examined 

 the conditions under which the skeleton was found, and he is con- 

 vinced that the ground had never been disturbed for sepulture, the 

 continuity of the shelly bed being unbroken where the skeleton oc- 

 curred, and no specimens of the Cardium edule being dispersed at 

 random through the incumbent loam. He is therefore of opinion, 

 that the body was washed into the estuary during the period when 

 the shelly bed was accumulated ; that it was arrested at the point 

 where it has been found by the rise in the level of the bed ; and 

 that consequently an elevation of the country has taken place since 

 the commencement of the human period. 



From an extended examination Mr. Austin is convinced, that the 

 estuary now limited to Waterford Haven formerly covered a much 

 larger area, as proved, in part, by the patches of shells noticed above ; 

 and that the change of relative level has been slow and uniform, 

 producing no local disturbances ; and he is further of opinion, that 

 the operation may be still in progress. 



Mr. Austin then gives a general description of the geological 

 structure of the two shores of Waterford Haven and of the adjacent 

 districts. The formations consist of mountain-limestone, old red 

 sandstone, schistose strata, considered to be of the age of the Silu- 

 rian system on account of the fossils found near Duncannon Fort 

 and Newtown Head, and trap rocks. 



The mountain-limestone constitutes Hook Point, the southernmost 

 headland of the Wexford side of the Haven. It is succeeded to the 

 north, conformably, by a red or yellow sandstone, containing obscure 

 vegetable remains, also thin seams and nodules of anthracite, like- 

 wise some small masses of black copper ore. These beds are assigned 

 by the author to the upper part of the old red sandstone. They are 

 succeeded in regular descending order by various marls, sandstones 

 and conglomerates, composing the mass of the formation, and esti- 

 mated to be 1600 feet thick. A series of contorted and tilted slaty 

 beds are then presented ; but at Broom Hill the conglomerates of 

 the old red sandstone reappear with the same dip towards the south. 

 Immediately north of this promontory the slates recommence, and 

 are displayed in unconformable juxtaposition with the old red sand- 

 stone, the latter dipping southwards, and the former at a higher angle 

 northwards. From Broom Head to Arthurstown the slates consti- 

 tute the whole line of coast, except at Duncannon Fort. The strata 



