148 



Mk. Ferguson on a Murine Deposit coiitainiiuj Shells. 



paces westward from the entrance to the Wellington Arcade, and opposite 

 No. 134. Between this and the western part of the road there was a 

 considerable eminence opposite Clarence Place, which has now beeo very 

 much lowered ; previous to this the ground must have risen from towards 

 George Square by the head of Buchanan-Street, and so westward, reach- 

 ing its highest level at Clarence Place, with a hollow along the line of 

 Sauchiehall-Street, and a ridge existing to the south, the watei'-shed of 

 which lies between Bath-Street and West Regent-Street. This ridge 

 terminates westward at Blythswood Square, and I am informed that 

 originally the site of the square was very much higher than it is at pre- 

 sent, and that the descent from Bath-Street to Sauchiehall-Street, was 

 very much more abrupt than now, the material cut from the top of the hill 

 in levelling the square, having been used to fill up eastwards. It would 

 be very interesting to trace the alterations which have been made on the 

 features of our city's locality by these levelling operations, but this does 

 not come within my province at present, farther than what is necessary 

 to form an idea of the physical geography of the spot at the remote period 

 to which these shelly deposits carry us back. 



Keeping in view, then, the extent to which these levelling opera- 

 tions have been carried on, in and around the very spot with which we 

 are now dealing, it is not a little surprising, that so recently as within 

 two months, in opening an excavation for a sewer, a section such as that 

 now represented should have been exposed. 

 Section of ExcamfioH ill SauclMhall-Street. There is a scwcr in the street, 

 Tmr nin joined at this point by a side drain, 



from a well in the back court of 

 the houses immediately west of the 

 Arcade. This side drain had got 

 choked, and required to be opened. 

 Its exact position was not accu- 

 rately known, and was missed. 

 The excavation was made past the 

 original sewer, and broke uj) new 

 ground. 



After removing the causeway 

 and sand to the depth of fourteen 

 inches, three feet of clay and mould 

 were passed through. Of this two 

 feet were evidently artificial, but 

 the lower portion bore every mark 

 of being the original soil. Below 

 this there was one foot of black 

 moss or peat, so pure, that some 

 children residing close by carried 

 it into the house for fuel, and told 

 their parents that they were cast- 



Causeway and sand 1 2 



Clay aud mould disturbed, 2 



Clay and 

 turbed,... 



mould undis- 



Black moss or peat, 1 



Coarse and fine sand beds or 

 layers, 2 to 4 inches each, 

 containing shells, exposed 

 to the depth of 4 feet, but 

 not passed through, 4 



Feet, 



.9 2 



