PROCEEDINGS OF THE COTTESWOLD CLUB II5 



case, capped by a bed of very fine shell sand, only of 

 much greater extent and thickness. One section was 

 observed where upwards of 5 feet of the shell gravel was 

 exposed without showing the base. The species of shells 

 are also much more numerous, and a very large propor- 

 tion are entire. A similar deposit appears to be in 

 course of formation along the shore at the present day. 



Another instance of a town similarly situated is that of 

 Hammerfest, but the circumstances here are somewhat 

 different and peculiar. The town is built at the head of 

 an almost circular bay, perfectly sheltered from the 

 violence of the open sea, but having apparently a circular 

 current which enters from the south-west, sweeping along 

 the north shore, and which, but for the circumstance to be 

 next noticed, would make the entire circuit of the bay. At 

 the north-eastern extremity of the bay, and immediately 

 to the north of the town, is a stream of sufficient volume 

 to deflect the current, causing it to take a course towards 

 the centre of the bay. Immediately to the south of 

 where the two streams unite, there juts out into the 

 water a somewhat triangular shaped terrace, and on this 

 the main portion of the town stands, and it is doubtless 

 owing to a very large extent to the joint action of the two 

 streams that this terrace owes its existence. 



Immediately behind the town to the north-east is a 

 long narrow valley occupied by a lake of perhaps a mile in 

 length. The waters of the lake are held up by a ridge of 

 Glacial Boulder Drift extending right across the entrance 

 to the valley, except for one small breach through which 

 the river water escapes into the sea. This in itself would 

 not appear very remarkable, but the feature which causes 

 it to be of more than usual interest is that this particular 

 dam has been levelled at the top by the same agency 

 which deposited the material of the terrace just men- 

 tioned, and to exactly the same height as the uppermost 



