THE BUILDING OF AN ISLAND. 33 



was level or nearly level when the deposits were made, so that these may have 

 extended, and probably did extend, far bevond their present boundaries. 



9. That the rocks have in many places been greatly altered near the 

 surface of the ground by the weather, sometimes to such an extent that the 

 original stratification has been effaced and a false stratification, resulting: from 

 expansion and contraction in alternating wet and dry times, has taken its place. 



10. Lastly, we have seen in the varied surface of hill and dale a proof 

 that the mass of strata has not remained in the form in which it was lifted 

 from the sea, but has by some means been sculptured into the existing beauti- 

 ful undulations. The study of this interesting subject is, however, best left 

 over till after we have examined the rocks of the older formation, which, even 

 to a far greater extent than the younger rocks, have been subject to the 

 sculpturing processes. 



