ON THE SHELL-BEARING DEPOSITS IN KINTYRE. 385 
8 feet under the boulder-clay of the south bank. The shelly clay was 
found to continue in a nearly horizontal position as far as the cutting 
was carried. It was then deemed advisable to sink bores farther back, 
in the bank and at the top of it, for the purpose of ascertaining whether 
the shelly clay still continued in that direction under the boulder-clay. 
Two points were accordingly marked off, one being in the slope, and the 
other four yards into the field above, the horizontal distances being 
respectively 34 and 54 yards from the top of the exposed face of the 
shelly clay (see sketch-plan of ground, fig. 3, and section, fig. 2). 
Work was begun first at the bore in the slope, 34 yards distant 
horizontally, from the top of the exposed face of shelly clay. Here it 
was estimated that the shelly clay, if it extended so far horizontally, 
might be met with at a depth of 46 feet from the surface. The boring 
through the stiff, stony, boulder-clay was attended with considerable 
difficulties. At the depth of 45 feet, however, the borers actually reached 
the shelly clay, and after passing downward through 10 feet of it, they 
struck upon a rock or boulder which arrested their progress. The Com- 
mittee did not think that they had reached the bottom of the shelly clay. 
If this were the case, it would seem to show that the deposit was rapidly 
thinning out, and might be met with only sparingly, if at all, farther 
back. ‘Till this point was tested, the Committee considered it unnecessary 
to make any detailed examination of the clay from this bore, it being chiefly 
important to examine it at the most distant locality where it should be 
found. 
They therefore transferred operations to the upper station, which 
had been marked off at the top of the south bank. Here, after a good 
many difficulties and delays, the shelly clay was struck at a depth of 
76 feet from the surface, which also corresponded very well with the 
estimate that had been made beforehand. Mr. Gray was by this time 
fortunately able to be with the borers, and give them the benefit of his 
direction and supervision, and also to mark and lay aside samples of the 
clay from various depths, which were sent on to Dr. Robertson for 
examination (see Section VI., Dr. Robertson’s Report). The clay was 
found to continue downwards, with some variations in colour and com- 
position, for a depth of about 20 feet from the point where first met 
with. A good many Ostracoda and Foraminifera were found in it by Dr. 
Robertson, and a few fragments of shells. The bore was sunk to a 
depth of 97 feet, the deposit becoming very stony towards the bottom, 
and finally resembling the hard, compact gravel underlying the shelly clay 
in the main section. The thickness of the shelly clay here met with 
seemed to confirm the conclusion of the Committee that the bottom of 
the deposit had not been reached in the first bore. 
The Committee regard the proved extension of the shelly clay thus far, 
under the boulder-clay, as a point of much interest, and as favouring the 
conclusion that it may extend more or less continuously, about the same 
level, from one glen to another. They were desirous of putting down 
another bore, still further south, to test or confirm this conclusion. But 
the surface of the ground here consists of great mounds and ridges of 
boulder-clay, which would render boring operations in that direction 
tedious and costly, as well as uncertain; and their available means 
being by this time more than exhausted, they were obliged to stop, 
and can only state the result of these operations, so far as they have 
gone. 
1896. cc 
