186 THE RIVER VALLEYS OF 



Consequently there was no land for a river of these 

 dimensions to come from ; we must therefore look for 

 some other explanation for the sloping terraces. 



We have just mentioned that at no very remote 

 period the West of Ireland was at a relative lower level 

 than at present, as traces of the old beaches are found 

 in different places near the coast of Gal way, Clare, 

 Limerick, Kerry, and Cork. Since then the land must 

 have relatively risen higher than it is at present. 

 Afterward it again sank, as proved by the bogs and 

 human structures submerged beneath its waters, while 

 now it appears to be for a time stationary. If we 

 examine Killary Harbour, we find at its east end a 

 gravel terrace, and others occur at the mouths of the 

 principal rivers flowing into it, while most of the rest 

 of the old sea-margin is marked by shelves cut in the 

 drift or rocks. If we next examine the chart, 1 it ap- 

 pears that, bordering the sides of the gut occupied by 

 the bay, are sand and gravel terraces that slope from 

 the tidal beach in the neighbourhood of Lenaun to 

 the mouth of the harbour ; while more or less near 

 the centre there is a hollow which in general slopes 

 seaward, the only considerable deeps being at the 

 narrows in the vicinity of Inishbarna; while farther 

 in are some holes connected with the junction of the 

 lateral and the transverse faults. If, therefore, the 

 land was gradually raised, these marginal sloping 



1 Admiralty Chart, No. 2706, Ireland, West Coast. 



