Professor G. Forchhammer on the Downs of Denmark. 69 



horizontal surfaces of sand. These surfaces of sand sometimes 

 contain not a single stone for great distances. Their stratifi- 

 cation is horizontal and not waved, and they consist of the 

 drift-sand, which, however, is here undoubtedly deposited 

 from water, as is proved by the horizontality of the surface 

 and of the stratification. An arm of the Liimfjord, the Han- 

 weile and Bygholmweile, was towards the end of the last cen- 

 tury almost filled up in this manner ; for, at that time, the 

 downs were left to themselves, and, as that gulf was only se- 

 parated by downs from the sea, the moving sand constantly 

 found its way into the Fohrde ; and the proposal has been 

 several times made to lay this portion of the gulf dry by arti- 

 ficial means, and to cultivate the sandy soil. The plan has not, 

 however, been carried into effect, as the value of land had 

 been much depreciated and was only increased of late years ; 

 and, besides, the soil (though the drift-sand, in comparison 

 with other sandy soils, is very fruitful, owing to the numerous 

 plates of mica it contains), does not promise much success for 

 great undertakings. In the year 1825, when the narrow neck 

 of land which separates the Liimfjord from the sea was broken 

 through by a great storm, the whole mass of downs which 

 covered this isthmus was projected into the Liimfjord, and so 

 filled that portion of it, that in many places where formerly 

 there was a depth of water of 16-20 feet, there only remained 

 1 foot of water. This irruption, which converted the Liimf- 

 jord into a sound, and the northern portion of Jutland 

 into an island, caused wonderful changes. The first and 

 most remarkable phenomenon was the sudden mortality 

 of nearly all the fresh-water fishes which previously in- 

 habited this bay, so celebrated for its rich fishing. Millions 

 of fresh-water fishes were driven on the land, partly dead, 

 partly dying, and were removed by the inhabitants in nume- 

 rous waggons, and only a few have remained at the spots where 

 fresh- water streams flow into the Liimfjord. The eel alone 

 has become gradually accustomed to these altered circum- 

 stances, and has become again an inhabitant of the whole 

 Liimfjord ; while the salt water of the sea would seem to 

 have been unbearable to the other fresh-water fishes. It 

 is more than probable that the masses of sand which were 



