TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 51 
shells, so as to give the appearance of their being intermixed; but this is not really 
the case, as on carefully examining the sections of the sand-hills no land shells were 
found, though the marine, particularly the Patella vulgaris, were abundant, so that 
Wwe must consider that the land shells were merely superficial, and that the animals 
originally inclosed within them lived among the tufts of Arundo arenaria, with which 
the greater part of the surface is covered. 
f The sand and sand-hills just mentioned are not confined to the low country along 
_ the sea shore, for some occur on the sides and within a few feet of the summit of 
the granite hill of Termon, at the elevation of 320 feet above the level of the sea, 
4 This sand, which in some places is more than fifteen feet in thickness, contains in 
; abundance all the marine shells already enumerated, together with land shells at the 
surface, as in the lower sand-hills near the level of the sea. 
s These elevated sand-hills also present valleys between them, similar to, though on a 
smaller scale than those on the lower bed; the surface of the sand, and sometimes 
__ the bare granite rock, is covered by marine shells, which show that the wind, which 
has the power of blowing away the sand, has not been able to remove the shells. 
Hence we must conclude that the sand and marine shells once formed the bed of the 
ocean, and that the whole has been elevated to its present position by the protrusion 
of the granite; and if this be admitted, it becomes evident that the granite has been 
protruded, or at least elevated, within the period of recent shells. ~ 
On some Geological Phenomena in the vicinity of Cork. 
By Francis Jennines, F.G.S., M.RJI.A. 
_ The author first alluded to the proof of the elevation of strata as evidenced by the 
beds of Ostrea edulis, in some cases plentifully intermixed with Littorina littorea. 
- Some of these beds were of considerable extent and depth; in one of them the shells 
were broken, and appeared as if they had been subjected to the action of waves on the 
sea-shore, whilst those on another bed were in many cases in pairs, and something 
resembling the dried animal appeared within. 
On many parts of the coasts of the counties of Cork and Waterford there are evi- 
_ dent proofs of the land having subsided ; peat and bogwood being dug out of the 
strands at the edge of the water during ebb-tide, and every storm washing large 
trunks of trees on the beach, which in some places are visible in situ below the low- 
est water of low tides; the oak, hazel, and birch being the most abundant. 
The universal opinion of the people on these coasts is, that the sea is advancing ; 
and old accounts of these places confirm this opinion, and render it probable that 
the land at the present time is subsiding in some of those districts alluded to. The 
- cliffs are formed of clay, large portions of which are constantly detached, and the 
~ immense quantities of sea sand removed for agricultural purposes must render more 
_ easy the adyance of the sea on the level ground bounded by those clay cliffs, the land 
behind them being in most cases peat bog. The amount of sand removed in a 
year from Youghal harbour amounts to about 279,000 tons, from Cork harbour to 
about 400,000 tons, and from Kinsale and Oyster haven 330,000 tons; and this 
annual drain must effect ere long very important changes, especially where the sand is 
_ faised from the beach, as at Youghal, In the other places alluded toit is all dredged 
__ from a depth varying from ten to about forty feet, and in many bays which formerly 
__ yielded sand in abundance there is now but little if any to be found; which probably 
x yb explained by the quantity taken for agricultural purposes. 
____ Much of this sea sand contains from 60 to 65 per cent. of carbonate of lime, and 
iy some of phosphate, principally derived from the shells of the Crustacea; it also con- 
tains some animal matter from the living mollusca with which it abounds. 
The amount of sand raised must also have an important effect upon commerce, in 
__ keeping clear those harbours where sand is thrown in such quantities as to impede 
_ the navigation ; the sand thus raised by dredging is sold, after a water carriage of 
_ Six miles, for 6d. per ton, a price, when the labour is considered, remarkably low, 
Beer" Sot 
_ On some Beds of Limestone in the Valley of Cork. By C. Y. Hatnzs, M.D, 
This outlying portion of the carboniferous system is described as consisting of three 
_ thin beds of ferruginous limestone, interstratified with carboniferous slate and yellow 
_ Sandstone, forming part of a series underlying the limestone of the Cork valley : it is 
E2 
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