478 Geological Society. 



Among therTi the authors enumerate Mactra stultorum, Tellinafa~ 

 bula, T. soliclula,Caidium edule, Ostrea edulis, Mytllus edulis, Mya 

 margaritacea, Pholas, Patella vulgaris, Nat'wa canrena, Purpura 

 lapillus, <^c., making in all twelve or fourteen species*. 



At the north side of Croyde Bay the sea shells are very abundant 

 in the deposit j the lower shingles expand to the thickness of nineteen 

 feet, and are Ibund on the face of Baggy Point at various heights and 

 rising to sixty or seventy feet above high water level. 



The horizontal beds, above described, cannot have been formed by 

 accumulations of blown sand. They are stratified marine deposits, 

 dilfering in no respect from the sand and coarsest shingles of the 

 neighbouring beach, except in the level j and they perfectly demon- 

 strate an elevation of the neighbouring coast during the modern period. 



In confirmation of their views, the authors assert that the physical 

 features of the neighbouring region, indicate that kind of depression 

 in the sea level which is demonstrated by the raised beach. The 

 ancient line of sea-cliffs m;<y be traced inland by Saunton and Braun- 

 ton towards the mouth of the Barnstaple river, passing to the east of 

 the existing marshes and dunes of blown sand. In like manner the 

 old line of cliff's, anterior to the elevation, maybe traced from Apple- 

 dore along the south side of Norton Burrows. The popple or pebble 

 beach, a remarkable ridge of large rounded blocks of stone, rising to a 

 height of seventeen feet above the sea level, and shutting out the 

 ocean from the neighbouring marsh lands, &c., of Appledore, is, in 

 connexion with tlM? blown sands, regarded by the authors as the 

 natural and necessary consequence of a considerable elevation of the 

 coast, and as strongly confirming the views they have advanced. In 

 further support of these views, they state that the raised beach of 

 Barnstaple Bay, forms only one of a connected series of phaenomena, 

 all tending to demonstrate the same conclusion, viz. the occasional 

 changes of high water level, both in the way of elevation and depres- 

 sion, within a comparatively recent period. They point out the 

 conditions under which raised beaches (admitting their hypothesis) 

 may or may not be expected ; and they affirm that there is a con- 

 nected series of phenomena both on the north and south coasts of 

 Devonshire and Cornwall, in perfect accordance with what they have 

 described. The raised beach of Hope's Nose is the most striking in- 

 stance in South Devon ; and they bear witness to the correctness of 

 Mr. Austen'sdescriptionof it, and to the justice of hisconclusions. On 

 the coasts of Cornwall phaenomena of like kind are very numerous. 

 Not only is there incontrovertible proof of raised beaches at various 

 levels, but in some places long smooth waterworn surfaces, exactly 

 like those formed by the existing breakers of a rocky shore, may 



* This list has beon much augmented by the subsequent labours of Ma- 

 jor W. Harding,F.G.S.of Ilfiacoinb, whohas in other respects contirmed the 

 views of the authors, and added sonje important facts. In the craggy cliffs 

 of the old transition rocks near Baggy Point, he has detected patches of the' 

 indurated shingle, or *' dry beach" as he terms it, containing modern sea 

 ihellsat dij^e rent heights, far above the reach of the highest tides. 



