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but well marked margin along the highest water line ; while on the 

 open shores the heavier surge wore deeper, the hill-slopes were cut 

 into a steeper and higher cliff, and hollowed out into caves in all the 

 rocks alike. The testacea and other denizens of the present shores 

 already inhabited the waters of that remote period ; but we have no 

 evidence that man had yet appeared. It is most probable, indeed, 

 that the last elevation of the land, to which we have already often 

 alluded, took place before the human period. We are only certain, 

 however, that all the existing levels were established prior to the 

 Roman invasion. Here, as generally in the west of Scotland, this 

 last elevation amounted to twenty or thirty feet, and gave to Arran 

 its present maritime border, and the inland cliff which forms a sin- 

 gularly picturesque feature in its coast scenery. 



