Messrs Peach and Home on the Glaeiation of Caithness. 325 



markings is north-west and south-east ; but to the west of 

 the inland limit of the shelly boulder clay the trend is widely 

 different. 



Following the shore northwards from the Ord of Caithness 

 towards Berriedale, the striae run in an easterly direction, as 

 if produced by ice moving off the high ground in the south- 

 eastern part of the county. North of Berriedale, however, 

 towards Dunbeath, they gradually swing round and creep 

 inland from the sea, the trend varying from K 10° to 15° E. 



Again, in the valley of Strathmore, between Loch More 

 and Dirlot, the same curious deflection of the ice-markings 

 is observable. By the roadside between Loch More and 

 Strathmore Lodge, several pits have recently been opened, 

 which have brought to light finely striated surfaces. Not 

 far from the north-west corner of the loch, in a quarry on 

 the north side of the road, there is a beautifully-polished 

 surface which has been produced by ice descending the strath. 

 The striae occur on red sandy flags and grits, pointing E. 20° N. 

 The smooth face of the roche ino^itonnee confronts the high 

 grounds to the west, leaving no room for doubt as to the 

 direction from which the ice came. On the opposite side of 

 the road well-marked striae are also exposed, pointing E.N.E., 

 and the same trend is observable a short distance to the east 

 of these localities. Again, about a quarter of a mile from 

 the loch, in the direction of Strathmore Lodge, we noted 

 several instances trending N. 5° E. Further down the valley, 

 and a little way east of Strathmore Lodge, ice-markings were 

 found, pointing N.N.E. and N.W., on the same glaciated sur- 

 face, underneath a thin covering of boulder clay. We shall 

 have occasion to point out in a subsequent paragraph that 

 the shelly boulder clay does not extend further up the valley 

 than Strathmore Lodge. It is apparent, therefore, that the 

 deflection increases as we approach the margin of the shelly 

 drift. It cannot be ascribed to any elevated mass of ground 

 in the neighbourhood of Strathmore Lodge, because no emi- 

 nences intervene which could possibly give rise to such a 

 phenomenon. On the contrary, it points to the existence of 

 a powerful opposing agent, which must have operated over 

 the whole of the broad Caithness plain. 



